5? 


"^Anvuan-^    "^(^Auvaaii-^      "^/iiaoKysm^     "^AaaAi 


o  A    >r— *  c 


<ri]30Nvsoi^      %ii3AiNnmv^       ^^Homy^^"^ 


OS  ^     \   ^^ 

DO 


% 


o 

S3 


^lOSANCElfXx 


^.OFCAIIFO/?^       ^ 


<rii30Nv.soi^     "^AaaAiNfi-jvvv^       "^^JAavaeni^J^ 


^IIIBRARYO^ 


^IUBRARYQa^ 

^  ^    .  — ■  ^ 


so 

'^OJITVDJO^ 


,\WEUNIV£R% 


oa 


<rii3owsoi^ 


o 


^OFCAIIFO/?^ 


^^ 


^OF-CAlIFOff^ 


>&Aavaan-^^      ^<?AbvaaiTi^'^ 


.^ME^JNIVER% 


^lOSAI 

o 


aWEUNIVER%       ^lOSANCEl^^         .^^lIBRARYGr        ^UIBR 


,^OFCAIIFO%       ^OfCAllFOI?^ 


vr 


^'^Aavaaii-^      ^(?Aavaan-#        <rii30Nv-soi^      %a3AiN(i 


AWEUfJIVER%       ^10SANCEI%         -<^tilBRARYQ^ 


_  ^  o 

^ — ^^  ^ 


'^/Sa3AINn3WV 


-5^1-lIBRAi; 


'^«!fOJllV3JO>* 


^<i/OJllVD 


aweiiniver% 

a 


<ril30NVS01^        %a3AINn-3WV 


;^OFCAIIFO% 


^OFCALIF 


%avaani^ 


%Aaviiai 


^^^t■iIBRARYG^ 


5^sj,lLiBRARY(?A, 


%0-IIWII 


'^OJIWDJO'^ 


^\\FUNIVER% 


_  ^  o 


^lOS-ANC 

..S 


%Ji3AiN'n 


^OFCA[lFO/iU> 


;i^OFCAII  FO/?;^^         ^^^WEDNIVERy/^ 


^OAavaan-^^      ^<?Aavaaii-^^ ' 


<rji33NVS01^ 


^•lOSANL 

o 


■%il3AINIl 


\WrUNlVER%., 


g 

-n 
O 


^lOS^ANCflF^.. 


^HfBRARY<7A,       \^HIBRAI 


GENERAL    GORDON. 

[FROM   A    PHOTOGRAPH   TAKEN    AT"  KHARTOUM.] 


too  •  ■v?^^ 


CONTENTS. 


-o-o>S«ioo- 


CHAPTER   I. 

PAGE 

Gordon's  Birth,  Parentage,  and  Early  Work      .        i-8 


CHAPTER  n. 
Assistant  Commissioner,  and  First  Visit  to  China      9-16 

CHAPTER  III. 
Hung-Tsue-Schuen 17-23 

CHAPTER   IV. 
The  Ever-Victorious  Army 24-35 

CHAPTER  V. 
Successes  and  Trials 36-43 

CHAPTER  VI. 
The  Rebel  Burgevine 44-51 

CHAPTER  VII. 
In  the  Thick  of  the  Fight 52-61 


IV  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

PAGE 

After  the  Surrender  of  Soochow       .      '  .        .        62-73 

CHAPTER   IX. 
Gordon  again  takes  the  Field     ....        74-81 

CHAPTER- X. 
The  Disbanding  of  the  Ever- Victorious  Army  .        82-95 

CHAPTER  XI. 
The  Collapse  of  the  Rebellion  ....      96-110 

CHAPTER  XII. 
At  Gravesend 111-126 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Gordon's  First  Visit  to  the  Soudan  .        .        .     127-136 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
What  is  the  Soudan  ? i37-H7 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Gordon's  Predecessor  in  the  Soudan         .        .    148-15? 


CONTENTS.  V 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

PAGE 

The  Slave  Trade  in  the  Soudan         .        .        .     158-174 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Hurriyat  (Liberty) 175-184 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Near  King  Mtesa's  Land 185-194 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
In  Abyssinia 195-202 

CHAPTER  XX. 
The  Level  Balance 203-212 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Romulus  Gessi 213-223 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
King  Johannis  of  Abyssinia 224-230 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
Rest  or  Work? 231-241 


yi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 


PAGE 


Troubles  in  the  Soudan        ......    242-258 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
Gordon's  Response 259-280 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
Subsequent  Events  in  the  Soudan       .        .        .     281-292 

CHAPTER   XXVII. 
Slavery  and  Gordon's  Proclamation  .        .        .    293-312 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
The  Year  in  Khartoum 313-330 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
The  Relief  Expedition 331-345 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
The  End  of  the  Story 346-365 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

A  Christian  Hero 366-374 

Facsimile  Letter 375 


General  Gordon. 


-oojaetjo-o- 


CHAPTER   I. 

Gordon's  birth,  parentage,  and  early  work. 

"  For  myself,  son, 
I  purpose  not  to  wait  on  fortune,  till 
These  wars  determine."  —  Coriolanus. 

WOOLWICH  and  War,  if  not  synonymous  names,  are 
very  closely  connected ;  and  it  was,  therefore,  in 
harmony  with  their  lives  and  characters  that  in  Woolwich 
Lieutenant-General  Henry  William  Gordon,  of  the  Royal 
Regiment  of  Artillery,  lived,  and  in  Woolwich  his  youngest 
son,  Charles  George  Gordon,  was  born.  The  military  town 
on  the  Thames  is  not  much  talked  of  in  times  of  peace  :  but 
no  sooner  do  clouds  appear  on  the  political  horizon,  telling 
of  disquietude  which  it  behoves  England  to  notice,  than  all 
eyes  and  thoughts  are  turned  toward  the  scene,  which, 
always  busy,  becomes  alive  with  animation  and  importance 
then. 

Yet  Woolwich  is  an  interesting  place  to  visit  at  any  time. 
It  is  only  nine  miles  from  St.  Paul's,  and  may  be  reached  by 
three  or  four  different  railways,  by  trams,  or  omnibuses,  or 
steamboats  ;  and,  when  reached,  presents  features  of  attrac- 
tiveness that  can  be  found  nowhere  else.  The  Royal 
Arsenal,  which  includes  the  gun  factories,  carriage  depart- 


2  GENERAL    GORDON. 

ment,  royal  laboratory,  and  military  stores  departmenl:,  is 
the  largest  depot  for  army  stores  in  the  world.  Within  the 
arsenal  is  the  ordnance  yard,  where  an  immense  number  of 
pieces  of  ordnance,  and  of  shot  and  shells,  with  fittings  and 
harness  for  a  multitude  of  artillery  horses,  are  kept  in  con- 
stant readiness  for  use.  The  public  are  admitted  with  little 
difficulty ;  and  no  one  can  look  on  the  Rotunda,  with  its 
models  of  Her  Majesty's  dockyards,  the  principal  fortifica- 
tions in  the  world,  and  various  kinds  of  arms,  ancient  and 
modem,  without  intense  interest.  The  Pontoon  Ground  is 
also  interesting ;  for  there,  on  large  sheets  of  water,  experi- 
ments are  made  with  boats  and  ordnance.  On  the  east  side, 
facing  the  Military  Train  barracks,  is  the  Royal  Artillery  In- 
stitution. It  includes  a  museum,  theatre,  laborator}',  and 
reading-room,  for  the  use  of  the  Royal  Artillery  officers. 
There  is  a  small  observatory  adjoining.  South-east  of.  the 
Repository  Grounds  is  the  Royal  Military  Academy,  founded 
in  1 719,  for  the  education  of  cadets  intended  for  the  artillery 
and  engineers  ;  and  between  the  arsenal  and  the  dockyard  are 
the  Royal  and  Marine  Barracks,  with  the  Naval  and  Marine 
Hospital,  which  last  was  erected  in  1859.  The  Royal  Dock- 
yard, the  most  ancient  in  the  kingdom,  occupies  a  narrow 
strip  of  land  along  the  south  bank  of  the  Thames,  and  is  very 
extensive.  The  outer  and  inner  basins  are  both  of  enormous 
dimensions.  Graving  docks  have  also  been  added,  which 
can  contain  the  largest  ships  in  the  Royal  Navy.  This  dock- 
yard is  under  the  charge  of  a  Commodore-Superintendent, 
and  is  surrounded  by  lines  of  circumvallations,  under  the 
Fortifications  Act.  A  practice  range  of  several  miles  in  extent 
lies  between  Woolwich  and  Hythe,  and  the  artillery  also  prac- 
tice on  the  Plumstead  Marshes.  Here,  too,  the  Government 
ordnance  are  proved.  There  is  a  large  place  called  the 
Camp,  for  the  servants  of  the  Military  Train,  and  an  extensive 
hospital. 


BIRTH,  PARENTAGE,   AND  EARLY    WORK.  3 

At  Woolwich  the  man  who  has  since  become  known  as 
"Chinese  Gordon,"  the  leader  of  the  '"Ever  Victorious 
Arrny,"  and  the  "  Good  Pasha,"  was  bom  on  the  28th  of 
January,  1833.  His  mother  was  Elizabeth  Enderby  of 
Blacklieath,  whose  father,  a  London  merchant,  achieved 
some  notoriety  by  his  success  in  the  whale  fishery ;  by 
which  means  he  did  much  to  open  up  the  Southern  Hemis- 
phere, and  to  demonstrate  the  possibility  of  rounding  Cape 
Horn.  The  Enderby  whalers  did  good  service  to  Australia 
and  New  Zealand,  which  were  at  that  time  little  known ; 
and  the  Enderbys  were  among  the  first  discoverers  of  the 
Auckland  Islands.  They  were,  indeed,  the  means  of  pro- 
moting commerce  between  our  own  country  and  some  of 
our  most  important  colonies  ;  and  there  is  a  strip  of  country 
in  the  Antarctic  Ocean  known  by  the  name  of  "  Enderby's 
Lands." 

Miss  Enderby,  afterwards  Mrs.  Gordon,  the  mother  of 
our  hero,  was  in  many  respects  a  remarkable  woman,  well 
fitted  to  guide  her  children  into  paths  of  true  nobility  and 
honor.  She  was  exceedingly  tender  and  amiable,  bright 
and  hopeful.  She  lived  for  others  rather  than  for  herself, 
and  proved  her  ability  to  rule  her  children  by  her  perfect 
mastery  of  self.  She  had  five  sons  and  six  daughters.  Sir 
Henry  W.  Gordon,  K.C.B.,  is  the  only  son  now  living. 

Their  father,  the  late  Lieutenant- General  Gordon,  had  an 
ancestry  of  soldiers.  His  grandfather — the  great-grand- 
father of  our  hero  —  had  a  very  eventful  life.  He  was  taken 
prisoner  at  Prestonpans,  but  the  Duke  of  Cumberland 
used  his  influence  to  secure  his  release.  He  died  at 
HaHfax  in  North  America,  in  1752.  His  son,  the  grand- 
father of  Charles,  fought  in  several  battles,  and  won  some 
distinction.  Henry  William,  the  father  of  General  Gordon, 
was  a  soldier  of  the  highest  type,  honorable,  kindly,  just, 
and  devoted  to  his  profession. 


4  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Charles  was  a  boy  of  quick  but  generous  temper,  with 
plenty  of  energy,  but  not  very  great  physical  strength.  He 
was  sent  to  school  at  Taunton,  in  Somerset ;  and  afterwards 
attended  the  Royal  Mihtary  Academy  at  Woolwich. 

A  story  is  told  of  an  occurrence  during  his  cadetship 
which  illustrates  the  fire  and  energy  of  his  youthful  spirit. 
"  You  are  incompetent :  you  will  never  make  an  officer," 
said  his  superior,  in  rebuke  to  him  one  day  \  and,  with 
flashing  eyes  and  flushed  cheeks,  the  lad  tore  from  his 
shoulders  the  epaulettes  that  he  wore  and  cast  them  down 
before  his  reprover's  feet. 

He  was  only  nineteen  years  old  when  he  became  an 
officer  of  Engineers,  and  received  his  commission  of  second 
Lieutenant.  He  was  ordered  to  Pembroke,  where  plans 
were  required  for  the  forts  at  Milford  Haven ;  and  there 
he  worked  for  a  few  months,  until,  in  the  winter  of  1854, 
news  came  that  he  was  to  go  to  Corfu. 

This  was  not  at  all  according  to  his  wish.  At  this 
time  all  thoughts  were  centered  on  the  Crimea,  and  thither 
the  ambitious  hopes  of  Charles  Gordon  turned.  He  had 
spent  part  of  his  boyhood  at  Corfu,  where  his  father  had 
commanded  the  artillery,  and  would  very  much  prefer  to 
serve  in  the  Crimea  than  in  the  Ionian  Islands.  By  some 
means  his  route  became  changed.  The  young  soldier, 
eager  for  active  service,  volunteered  to  go  where  men  were 
greatly  needed;  and  in  December,  1854,  he  started  for  the 
East,  reaching  Balaklava  on  New  Year's  Day,  1855. 

For  a  few  weeks  he  was  comparatively  idle,  and  he  spent 
the  time  in  making  observations,  and  learning  lessons  for 
future  use.  Every  one  knows  long  ago  the  story  of  the 
privations  and  heroisms  of  the  English  army  before 
Sebastopol.  It  has  been  told  again  and  again  by  the 
correspondents  of  newspapers,  and  by  trusty  and  eloquent 


BIRTH,  PARENTAGE,  AND  EARLY    WORK.  5 

historians ;  but  no  pictures  were  more  vivid  than  those 
of  the  young  subaltern,  who  was  laying  to  heart  all  that 
he  saw.  His  letters  home  told  the  same  story  which  the 
war  correspondents  told,  of  lack  of  supplies,  of  food  wasting 
where  it  was  not  needed,  while  men  were  dying  for  want 
of  it ;  of  officers  and  men  engaged  in  foraging  expeditions  ; 
of  the  intense  cold,  which  killed  Englishmen  more  surely 
than  Russian  guns  ;  of  the  ravages  of  cholera ;  of  delays 
on  the  part  of  the  officers,  and  despondency  on  the  part 
of  the  men.  It  is  true  that  at  the  time  when  Gordon 
had  joined,  things  were  better  than  they  had  been,  but 
they  were  bad  still. 

In  February  some  definite  work  was  given  to  Gordon 
to  do. 

The  first  order  he  received  was  to  contrive  to  make 
rifle-pits  between  the  French  and  English  sentries,  who 
were  in  front  of  the  trenches,  and  so  unite  them.  It  was 
hazardous  work ;  and  the  men  and  sentiies  under  his 
command  grew  frightened,  and  deserted  him.  He  was 
shot  at  by  both  English  and  Russian  sentries. 

But  he  continued  at  the  work  of  making  batteries  in  the 
advance  trenches  for  two  months  ;  and  although  the  throw- 
ing up  of  these  batteries  was  a  very  monotonous  occupa- 
tion, it  happened  now  and  then  that  some  excitement  was 
caused  by  an  attack  upon  the  workers,  who  returned  the 
fire. 

On  one  of  these  occasions  a  bullet  was  fired  at  Gordon, 
from  one  of  the  Russian  rifle-pits,  which  only  missed  his 
head  by  an  inch.  He  told  his  friends  at  home  about  the 
narrow  escape  he  had  experienced,  and  added  that  the 
Russians  were  good  marksmen,  and  used  a  bullet  that 
was  large  and  pointed. 

At   last,   however,    there   was    some    fighting.      Charles 


6  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Gordon  still  took  part  in  the  work  in  the  trenches,  and 
was  thus  brought  into  all  the  active  Ufe  of  the  time ;  but 
although  on  one  occasion  he  was  struck  by  a  stone  he 
escaped  uninjured.  The  war,  meanwhile,  dragged  on 
somewhat  wearily.  Justin  McCarthy  said,  "Sometimes  it 
was  not  easy  to  say  which  ought  to  be  called  the  besieged, 
—  the  Russians  in  Sebastopol,  or  the  Allies  encamped  in 
sight  of  it."  There  were  grumblers  at  home,  whose  bitter 
criticisms  reached  the  seat  of  war,  where  there  were  then 
difficulties  which  only  those  who  were  present  could  under- 
stand. Gordon  was  noting  everything,  and  laying  up  stores 
of  knowledge  for  future  use.  In  the  midst  of  it  all  Lord 
Raglan  died.  His  death  was,  no  doubt,  the  result  of 
anxiety  and  trouble.  On  the  i8th  of  June  the  Allies  were 
repulsed  with  heavy  loss.  General  Pelissier  urged  Lord 
Raglan  to  consent  to  the  making  of  a  simultaneous  attack 
on  the  Malakoff  and  the  Redan,  and  his  lordship  yielded 
against  his  better  judgment.  The  (allure  of  the  attempt 
filled  him  with  grief  and  dismay.  Our  Prince  Consort 
wrote  in  reference  to  this,  "  the  eighteenth  was  the  nail  in 
his  coffin,  for  he  knew  that  his  troops  could  do  nothing 
under  the  circumstances  which  Pelissier  had  created,  and  to 
give  them  the  order  to  attack  was  to  send  them  to  certain 
death ;  and  yet  had  he  not  done  so,  the  French  army 
would  have  believed  he  was  deserting  them  in  the  hour  of 
need.  The  choice  must  have  been  infinitely  hard  for  him  ; 
and  yet  the  French  insinuate,  and  what  is  worse,  the  Times 
does  so,  too,  that  Lord  Raglan  is  alone  to  blame."  The 
disappointment  and  regret,  the  anxiety  and  the  trouble, 
were  too  much  for  the  English  commander,  who,  in  cir- 
cumstances of  great  difficulty,  had  sought  to  prove  himself 
a  worthy  successor  of  Nelson,  and  "  do  his  duty  "  ;  and  he 
died  on  the  29th  of  June. 


BIRTH,  PARENTAGE,   AND  EARLY   WORK.  7 

The  unsuccessful  attack  of  the  Allies,  which  plunged 
England  into  sorrow,  and  killed  Lord  Raglan,  brought 
great  rejoicing  to  the  Russians.  Prince  Gortschakoff 
declared  that  "  the  hour  was  approaching  when  the  pride  of 
the  enemy  would  be  lowered,  and  their  armies  swept  from 
Russian  soil  like  chaff  blown  away  by  the  wind." 

But,  as  all  the  world  knows,  that  was  far  from  being  the 
case.  Both  the  EngUsh  and  the  French  were  brave  and 
courageous.  Our  men,  Gordon  among  them,  worked  for 
long  hours  in  the  trenches  or  the  field.  Miss  Florence 
Nightingale  gave,  in  a  letter  she  wrote  at  the  time,  the 
following  account  of  their  hardships,  upon  which  she  dwelt 
with  much  more  commiseration  than  the  men  felt  for 
themselves  :  —  "  Fancy  working  five  nights  out  of  seven  in 
the  trenches.  Fancy  being  thirty-six  hours  in  them  at  a 
stretch,  as  they  sometimes  were,  lying  dowai,  or  half-lying 
dowai :  often  forty-eight  hours  with  no  food  but  raw  salt 
pork,  sprinkled  with  sugar,  rum,  and  biscuit ;  nothing  hot, 
because  the  exhausted  soldier  could  not  collect  his  own  fuel, 
as  he  was  expected  to  do,  to  cook  his  own  rations ;  and 
fancy  through  all  this,  the  army  preserving  their  courage 
and  patience  as  they  have  done,  and  being  now  eager  (the 
old  ones  as  well  as  the  young  ones)  to  be  led  into  the 
trenches.     There  was  something  sublime  in  the  spectacle." 

Such  was  the  training  of  a  hero  among  heroes  ;  a  trailing 
that  must  have  been  good  for  all  who  had  sufficient  strength 
of  endurance  for  the  trial,  and  which  certainly  had  an 
excellent  effect  on  the  young  subaltern,  who  was  quietly 
obeying  orders,  and  at  the  same  time  realizing  the  whole 
situation. 

He  was  not  present  at  the  taking  of  the  Malakoff  tower  ; 
but  he  is  said  to  have  been  at  work  in  the  trenches  at  the 
very   time   when   Sebastopol   was    evacuated.     During   the 


8  GENERAL    GORDON. 

night  of  the  8th  of  September  the  Russians  withdrew  from 
the  south  side  of  the  city.  A  bridge  of  boats  had  been 
made  to  cross  the  bay  from  the  north  to  the  south,  and  over 
this  bridge  Prince  Gortschakoff,  seeing  his  case  to  be 
hopeless  —  his  defences  having  been  almost  destroyed  by  the 
persistent  attacks  of  the  Alhes  —  quietly  took  his  troops. 
He  felt  that  to  try  to  hold  the  city  longer  was  only  to  cause 
a  more  terrible  death-roll  among  his  men :  and  so  he 
decided,  before  things  grew  worse,  to  leave  Sebastopol. 

But  the  Allies  saw  an  awful  sight  on  the  morning  of  the 
9th  of  September.  The  whole  city  was  in  flames,  and 
completely  ruined.  Gortschakoff  said  in  his  despatch,  "  It 
is  not  Sebastopol  which  we  have  left  to  them,  but  the 
burning  ruins  of  the  town,  which  we  ourselves  set  fire  to, 
having  maintained  the  honor  of  the  defence  in  such  a 
manner  that  our  great-grandchildren  may  recall  with  pride 
the  remembrance  of  it,  and  send  it  on  to  all  posterity." 
Sebastopol  will  never  again  be  what  it  was  before.  French 
and  English  engineers  were  ordered  to  destroy  such  of  the 
forts  as  were  standing,  and  Gordon  was  told  off  to  assist  in 
the  work  of  destruction.  The  war  in  the  Crimea  soon 
aftenvards  ceased,  and  the  young  subaltern  of  the  Royal 
Engineers  received  the  Order  of  the  Legion  of  Honor  from 
the  French  Ciovernment.  And  so  Charles  Gordon  got  his 
first,  discipline  and  his  first  honors. 


CHAPTER  II. 

ASSISTANT   COMMISSIONER,    AND    FIRST   VISIT   TO   CHINA. 

"  These  flags  of  France,  that  are  advanced  here 
Before  the  eye  and  prospect  of  your  town, 
Have  hither  marched  to  your  endamagement. 
Their  cannons  have  their  bowels  full  of  wrath; 
And  ready  mounted  are  they  to  spit  forth 
Their  iron  indignation  'gainst  your  walls." 

—  King  John. 

ABLE  workers  are  never  allowed  to  remain  idle  long, 
and  no  sooner  had  Charles  Gordon  finished  his  work 
in  the  Crimea  than  he  was  dispatched  on  other  business. 
In  May,  1856,  he  was  ordered  to  join  Major  Stanton  (now 
Lieutenant- General  Sir  E.  Stanton)  at  Bessarabia,  a  province 
in  the  south-west  of  Russia.  New  frontiers  of  Russia,  Tur- 
key, and  Roumania  had  to  be  laid  down,  and  Gordon  was 
appointed  Assistant  Commissioner.  Representatives  of 
France,  Russia,  and  Austria  were  also  on  the  Commission. 
Eleven  months  were  occupied  by  the  expedition.  Gordon's 
special  duty  was,  in  company  with  another,  to  trace  a 
boundary  that  extended  for  a  hundred  miles,  and  compare 
the  English  and  Russian  maps  in  order  to  see  if  they  agreed. 
The  change  from  the  monotonous  and  exhausting  work  in 
the  Russian  trenches,  to  leisurely  travelling  from  place  to 


10  GENERAL    GORDON. 

place  through  beautiful  summer  weather,  was  a  very  agree- 
able one.  When  the  days  were  too  hot  they  took  their 
journeys  by  night,  and  Gordon  felt  great  interest  in  his  work 
and  the  places  that  he  visited.  The  Commissioners  resided 
at  Kichenev,  but  besides  this  town  Gordon  became  acquainted 
with  Akerman,  Bolgrad,  Kotimore,  Reni,  Seratzika,  and 
Jassy.  He  saw  the  district  at  its  best.  It  is  flat  but  fertile. 
Bessarabia  has  a  very  mixed  population,  composed  of  Rus- 
sians, Poles,  Wallachians,  Moldavians,  Bulgarians,  Greeks, 
Armenians,  Jews,  Germans,  and  Tartars,  besides  a  few  gipsies. 
The  Dniester,  the  Pruth,  and  the  Danube  are  its  rivers.  It 
has  some  beautiful  streams,  and  some  salt  lakes.  The 
country  is  traversed  by  offshoots  from  the  Transylvanian 
branch  of  the  Carpathian  mountains,  and  the  hills  are  mostly 
covered  with  wood.  The  chief  part  of  the  land  is  in  pas- 
turage. 1. 

The  work  that  Charles  Gordon  did  in  Bessarabia  was  not 
monotonous,  but  he  grew  a  little  tired  of  it ;  and  when,  in 
April,  1857,  he  found  that  he  was  ordered  to  join  the  Com- 
mission for  arranging  the  boundary  in  Asia,  he  sent  home  to 
ask  if  he  might  exchange  with  someone  else.  But  he  was 
not  allowed  to  do  so,  and  therefore  went  as  he  was  com- 
manded to  Armenia.  He  was  to  become  a  great  traveller, 
and  his  mind  must  have  been  considerably  enlarged  and 
strengthened,  even  as  early  as  the  time  of  which  we  are 
writing,  by  his  knowledge  of  foreign  countries,  and  his  inter- 
course with  the  men  of  all  nations.  Erivan,  situated  to  the 
north  of  Ararat,  with  its  fortress  and  mosques,  its  stone 
bridge,  and  its  aqueducts,  was  visited  by  him.  So  was  Erze- 
roum,  the  busy,  prosperous  town  near  the  northern  source  of 
the  Euphrates ;  and  also  Kars,  which  three  years  before  had 
held  out  so  bravely  during  the  siege  of  the  Russians,  which 
lasted  from  the  i6th  of  June,  1855,  to  the  beginning  of  De- 


FIRST    VISIT    TO    CHINA.  11 

cember.  Gordon's  labors  were  diversified  by  some  mountain 
climbing,  for  he  ascended  both  Little  and  Great  Ararat.  He 
took  observations,  and  stored  knowledge  of  places  and  men 
wherever  he  went.  Mr.  Hake,  in  his  Story  of  Chinese 
Gordon,  says  of  him  at  this  period,  that  "  he  found  time  to 
study  the  strategic  points  of  a  country  illustrious  and  inter- 
esting as  the  scene  of  many  battles." 

After  spending  six  months  in  Armenia,  he  went  to  Con- 
stantinople, in  order  to  attend  a  conference  of  the  Com- 
mission ;  and  then,  after  being  absent  from  home  three 
years,  he  had  six  months'  holiday,  and  came  to  England  to 
spend  it  with  his  friends.  At  the  end  of  his  furlough,  he 
was  sent  back  to  Armenia,  not  as  assistant  now,  but  as 
commissioner,  where  he  stayed  until  the  end  of  "the  year 
1858;  after  which  he  again  came  home.  The  year  1859 
was  spent  at  Chatham,  where  he  was  engaged  as  Field-work 
Instructor  and  Adjutant. 

In  the  meantime  serious  circumstances  were  occurring 
which  were  to  call  Charles  Gordon  to  quite  another  part  of 
the  world. 

The  Queen's  speech  at  the  opening  of  Parliament  on  the 
24th  January,  i860,  mentioned  the  renewal  of  disturbances 
in  China,  and  stated  that  the  English  and  French  plenipo- 
tentiaries had  proceeded  to  the  mouth  of  the  Peiho  river  in 
order  to  repair  to  Pekin,  and  exchange  in  that  city  the 
ratifications  of  the  Treaty  of  Tien-tsin.  The  plenipoten- 
tiaries were  stopped,  and  compelled  to  retire,  and  the  Royal 
Speech  declared  that  an  expedition  had  been  forthwith 
despatched  to  obtain  redress. 

The  Chinese  government  refused  to  make  any  apology 
for  attacking  the  British  ships,  and  there  was  a  great  outcry 
raised  in  England.  The  military  expedition  proceeded 
immediately  to  China,  Lord  F^lgin  and  Baron  Gros  being  at 


12  GENERAL    GORDON. 

the  head  of  it,  while  the  command  of  the  EngUsh  land 
forces  was  given  to  Sir  Hope  Grant,  and  General  Cousin  de 
Montauban,  afterwards  Count  Palikao,  commanded  the 
French. 

Charles  Gordon  was  ordered  to  join  the  army  —  and  he 
started  some  time  in  July.  He  travelled  via  Paris  and 
Marseilles,  and  visited  the  towns  of  Malta,  Alexandria, 
Aden,  Ceylon,  Singapore,  and  Hong-kong.  From  thence 
he  went  to  Shanghai,  and,  only  halting  there  for  a  day,  went 
on  to  Tien-tsin.     He  had  been  travelling  sixty-eight  days. 

The  Allies  had  already  occupied  that  city  —  having  cap- 
tured the  Taku  forts  —  and  had  marched  on  Pekin.  But 
the  Chinese  had  endeavored  to  stop  their  progress  to  the 
capital  by  asking  Lord  Elgin  to  enter  into  negotiations  for 
peace,  and  it  was  arranged  that  the  Chinese  Commissioners 
should  meet  the  European  plenipotentiaries  at  Tung-chow, 
a  walled  town  ten  miles  from  Pekin.  Mr.  Parks  and  Mr. 
Loch,  Lord  Elgin's  secretaries,  Mr.  Bowlby,  the  Times  cor- 
respondent, and  several  French  and  English  officers,  among 
whom  was  De  Norman,  a  friend  and  colleague  of  Charles 
Gordon,  went  to  Tung-chow  to  make  the  necessary  arrange- 
ments for  the  interview  between  the  envoys  and  the  Chinese 
Commissioners.  As  they  were  returning,  some  quarrel  took 
place  between  a  French  commissariat  officer  and  some 
Tartar  soldiers,  and  there  was  a  fight.  Mr.  Parks,  Mr. 
Loch,  and  others,  twenty-six  British  subjects  and  twelve 
French  in  all,  were  at  once  seized  by  the  Chinese  General, 
Sang-ho-lin-sin,  and  sent  off  to  various  prisons.  This  was 
a  great  outrage,  committed  on  men  who  bore  a  flag  of 
truce,  and  had  come  at  the  request  of  the  Chinese  them- 
selves to  arrange  a  conference  with  a  view  to  peace. 

The  Allies  resolved  to  punish  this  outrage ;  and  they 
marched  on  Pekin  in  October  and  invested  the  city,  Lord 


FIRST    VISIT    TO    CHINA.  13 

Elgin  refusing  to  negotiate  until  the  prisoners  had  been 
returned.  The  guns  of  the  Allies  were  in  position  to  blow 
in  the  gate  of  the  city,  when  the  Chinese  acceded  to  their 
terms,  and  surrendered  the  gate.  The  Allies  entered  the 
city,  and  hoisted  the  English  and  French  flags  on  the  walls. 

But  then  Lord  Elgin  learned  that  the  captives  had  been 
treated  with  the  greatest  cruelty  and  indignity.  So  horrible 
indeed  had  been  their  sufferings,  that  thirteen  out  of  the 
twenty-six  British  subjects  had  died  in  great  agony.  Among 
these  was  De  Norman,  who  had  served  with  Gordon  in  Asia. 
The  thirteen  who  were  released  bore  evidence  of  the  abom- 
inable treatment  to  which  they  had  been  subjected. 

The  hearts  of  the  Allied  officers  and  men  were  stirred  to 
indignation  by  the  perfidy  and  cruelty  of  the  Chinese  author- 
ities, upon  whom  Lord  Elgin  determined  to  inflict  an  exem- 
plary and  signal  punishment.  He  ordered  that  the  Chinese 
Summer  Palace  should  be  burnt  down,  that  the  rulers  of  the 
nation  might  understand  the  danger  of  treachery  and  foul 
play. 

"  What  remains  of  the  Palace,"  said  Lord  Elgin,  "  which 
appears  to  be  the  place  at  which  several  of  the  British  cap- 
tives were  subjected  to  the  grossest  indignities,  will  be  imme- 
diately levelled  to  the  ground  :  this  condition  requires  no 
assent  on  the  part  of  His  Highness  Prince  Kung"  (the 
brother  and  plenipotentiary  of  the  Emperor),  "because  it 
will  be  at  once  carried  into  effect  by  the  Commander-in- 
Chief." 

And  so  it  was.  In  two  days  the  Palace  was  completely 
destroyed. 

The  author  of  Our  Oivft  Times  thus  writes  of  this  Sum- 
mer Palace  :  —  "It  covered  an  area  of  many  miles.  The 
palace  of  Adrian,  at  Tivoli,  might  have  been  hidden  in  one 
of  its  courts.     Gardens,  temples,  small  lodges  and  pagodas, 


14  GENERAL    GORDON. 

groves,  grottoes,  lakes,  bridges,  terraces,  artificial  hills,  diver- 
sified the  vast  space.  All  the  artistic  treasures,  all  the  curi- 
osities —  archaeological  and  other  —  that  Chinese  wealth  and 
Chinese  taste,  such  as  it  was,  could  bring  together,  had  been 
accumulated  in  this  magnificent  pleasaunce.  The  surround- 
ing scenery  was  beautiful.  The  high  mountains  of  Tartary 
ramparted  one  side  of  the  enclosure." 

Charles  Gordon  was  ordered,  with  the  rest,  to  assist  in 
destroying  this  Palace  ;  and,  as  usual,  he  gave  in  his  next 
home  letter  an  account  of  the  work  of  devastation  :  —  "  We 
accordingly  went  out,  and  after  pillaging  it,  burned  the  whole 
place,  destroying,  in  a  vandal-like  manner,  most  valuable 
property,  which  could  not  be  replaced  for  four  millions.  .  .  . 
You  would  scarcely  imagine  the  beauty  and  magnificence  of 
the  places  we  burnt.  It  made  one's  heart  sore  to  burn  them  ; 
in  fact,  these  palaces  were  so  large,  and  we  were  so  pressed 
for  time,  that  we  could  not  plunder  them  carefully.  Quan- 
tities of  gold  ornaments  were  burned,  considered  as  brass. 
It  was  wretchedly  demoralizing  work  for  an  army.  Every- 
body was  wild  for  plunder." 

The  affair  went  to  the  hearts  of  a  good  many  more  people 
besides  that  of  Charles,  now  Caj^tain  Gordon  ;  and  Lord 
Elgin  was  considerably  blamed  for  what  seemed  an  act  of 
unpardonable  vandalism.  It  transpired,  however,  that  the 
French  had  remorselessly  looted  and  wrecked  the  Palace 
before  Lord  Elgin  had  given  his  order  —  an  order  which  he 
maintained  was  a  just  one,  since  war  would  become  ten  times 
more  horrible  than  it  is  already,  if  it  were  not  one  of  its  es- 
sential conditions  that  the  messengers  engaged  in  the  prelim- 
inaries of  peace  are  to  be  held  sacred  from  harm. 

The  Allied  armies  remained  before  Pekin  until  the  8th 
November,  when  they  left  to  take  up  their  winter  quarters  at 
Ticn-tsin,  whither  Gordon  went  with  his  regiment  as  com- 


FII^ST    VISIT    TO    CHINA.  15 

manding  Royal  Engineer.  He  had  received  for  his  services 
his  brevet  promotion  to  the  rank  of  major. 

He  stayed  at  Tien-tsin  until  the  spring  of  1S62.  In 
December,  1861,  he  and  Lieutenant  Garden  went  together 
on  horseback  to  explore  the  outer  wall  of  China,  at  Kalgan. 
This  world-famous  structure,  "  Wan-li-chang  "  (myriad-mile- 
wall),  was  built  as  a  protection  against  the  Tartar  tribes  by 
the  first  Emperor  of  the  Tsin  dynasty,  about  220  B.C.  It 
traverses  the  northern  boundary  of  China,  and  is  carried 
over  the  highest  hills,  through  the  deepest  valleys,  across 
rivers  and  every  other  obstacle.  M'CuUoch  believes  its 
length  to  be  1250  miles.  The  total  height  of  the  wall, 
including  a  parapet  of  five  feet,  is  twenty  feet ;  it  is  twenty- 
five  feet  thick  at  the  base,  and  fifteen  at  the  top. 

Gordon  and  Garden  were  exceedingly  interested  in  their 
journey,  which  was  not  only  eventful  to  them  but  important 
to  others,  for  they  went  to  several  places  that  no  European 
had  visited  before.  They  had  some  difficulties,  as  might  be 
expected.  In  one  place  the  axle-trees  of  their  carts  would 
not  fit  the  ruts  :  in  another  their  carts  were  stolen  from 
them.  The  cold  was  so  great  that  raw  eggs  were  frozen  as 
hard  as  if  they  had  been  boiled. 

In  one  of  his  letters  Major  Gordon  describes  a  dust-storm 
in  which  he  was  caught :  —  "  The  sky  was  as  dark  as  night ; 
huge  columns  of  dust  came  sweeping  down,  and  it  blew  a 
regular  hurricane,  the  blue  sky  appearing  now  and  then 
through  the  breaks.  The  quantity  of  dust  was  indescribable. 
A  canal,  about  fifty  miles  long  and  eighteen  feet  wide,  and 
seven  feet  deep,  was  completely  filled  up  ;  and  boats  which 
had  been  floating  merrily  down  the  Tien-tsin  found 
themselves  at  the  end  of  the  storm  on  a  bank  of  sand,  the 
canal  being  filled  up,  and  the  waters  absorbed.  They  will 
have  to  be  carried  to  the  Peiho,  and  have  already  commenced 


16  GENERAL    GORDON. 

to  move.  The  canal  was  ever)^»vhere  impassable,  and  will 
have  to  be  re-excavated." 

In  May,  1862,  Major  Gordon  had  his  attention  called  to 
the  Tai-ping  rebellion,  in  connection  with  which  he  was  to 
do  some  of  the  most  remarkable  and  heroic  deeds  of  his 
life,  and  so  win  the  name  by  which  he  will  be  for  ever 
known  —  the  name  of  "  Chinese  Gordon." 

He  was  at  this  time  a  young  man,  but  he  had  been 
unconsciously  preparing  for  future  work.  He  was  getting 
his  lessons  in  the  highest  school,  for  he  was  a  disciple  of 
Christ,  and  was  learning  of  Him.  Moreover,  from  his 
boyhood  upward,  he  seems  to  have  chosen  the  motto, 
"  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might." 
He  was  in  himself  the  illustration  of  the  words  of  the  great 
"  Bard  of  Avon  ": — 

"  Firm  of  word ; 
Speaking  of  deeds,  and  deedless  in  his  tongue; 
Not  soon  provoked,  nor,  being  provoked,  soon  calmed; 
His  heart  and  hand  both  open  and  both  free." 


CHAPTER   III. 

HUNG-TSUE-SCHUEN. 

"  We  cannot  all  be  masters,  nor  all  masters  cannot  be  truly  followed." 

—  Othello. 

THE  Tai-ping  rebellion  was  the  work  of  a  schoolmaster 
who  announced  himself  as  the  "  Heavenly  King,"  the 
"  Emperor  of  the  Great  Peace."  He  said  that  he  had  seen 
God,  who  had  called  him  the  Second  Celestial  Brother.  He 
got  a  large  following  without  much  difficulty,  especially  as  his 
clansmen  numbered  20,000.  He  made*  the  announcement 
that  to  him  was  given  the  power  to  execute  judgment  and  to 
deliver  the  oppressed ;  and  declared  that  his  great  mission 
was  to  exterminate  the  Manchoo  race.  He  soon  came 
into  collision  with  the  Mandarins  ;  and  thinking  that  some  of 
his  people  were  ill-used,  and  becoming  angry  at  his  own 
failure  to  pass  certain  examinations  which  would  admit  him 
to  the  circle  of  the  literati,  he  took  his  converts  with  him,  and 
went  forth  to  increase  their  number.  When  his  followers 
were  some  hundreds  of  thousands,  he  chose  five  warrior 
kings  —  Wangs  —  from  among  his  kinsmen  ;  and,  having 
his  army  augmented  by  bands  of  robbers  and  secret  societies, 
and  four  thousand  warriors  brought  by  some  desperate  wo- 
men, he  led  this  immense  mob  from  city  to  city,  from  pro- 


18  GENERAL    GORDON. 

vince  to  province,  making  raids  upon  rice-harvests  and 
leaving  devastation  and  ruin  wlierever  they  went.  The 
Chinese  were  frightened  at  the  sight  of  the  gaudy  flags  and 
colored  finery  in  which  Hung  and  his  followers  were  dressed, 
and  they  shrank  with  terror  from  the  knives  and  cutlasses 
which  the  fierce  barbarians  used. 

Hung  marched  his  host  to  Nanking,  to  reach  which  he  had 
to  traverse  a  distance  of  seven  hundred  miles.  The  city  fell 
before  hiin,  and  he  at  once  took  possession  of  it,  and  gave  it 
the  name  of  the  Capital  of  the  Heavenly  King.  They  put 
the  entire  population  to  the  sword,  and  laid  waste  the  city, 
spoiling,  among  other  things,  the  renowned  Porcelain  Tower, 
which  the  Emperor  Yungloh  erected  in  memory  of  his 
mother  in  1414-26.  Dr.  MacGowan,  in  his  description  of 
this  tower,  says  that  it  was  built  nine  storeys  high,  and  the 
bricks  and  tiles  were  to  be  glazed  and  of  fine  colors ;  and 
the  whole  structure  was  to  be  of  the  most  superior  kind,  in 
order  that  the  virtues  of  the  Emperor's  mother  might  be 
widely  known.  There  was  to  be  a  brass  ball,  overlaid  with 
gold,  on  the  top  of  the  spire.  It  was  to  have  one  hundred 
and  forty-four  bells,  and  one  hundred  and  forty  lanterns, 
whose  light  was  to  illumine  the  "  thirty-three  heavens,  shining 
into  the  hearts  of  all  men,  good  and  bad,  eternally  removing 
human  misery."  A  brazen  bowl  on  the  top  of  the  highest 
roof  was  to  contain  "  one  white  shining  pearl,  one  fire- 
averting  pearl,  one  wind-averting  pearl,  one  water-averting 
pearl,  one  dust-averting  pearl,  a  lump  of  gold  weighing 
sixty  ounces,  a  box  of  tea  leaves,  1000  taels  of  silver,  one 
lump  of  orpiment  weighing  4000  pounds,  one  precious 
stone-gem,  1000  strings  of  copper  coins,  two  pieces  of  yellow 
satin,  and  four  copies  of  Buddhist  classics."  The  tower  was 
called  "  Pan-gan-sy,"  i.e.,  "  Recompensing  Favor  Pagoda." 

Under  this  tower  Hung-Tsue-Schuen  set  up  his  royal  state 


HUNG-TSUE-SCHUEN.  19 

and  marshalled  his  army.  He  gave  to  the  Wangs,  or  under 
kings  whom  he  had  appointed,  such  titles  as  "  Cock  Eye," 
"the  Yellow  Tiger,"  "  the  One-Eyed  Dog."  He  developed 
into  a  very  tyrannous  master,  beheading  any  of  his  chiefs 
who  displeased  him,  and  kicking  to  death  his  discarded 
wives  and  concubines.  Like  the  Mahdi  in  the  Soudan,  he 
declared  his  mission  to  be  altogether  a  religious  one,  and 
he  himself  a  Messiah.  He  was,  he  said,  and  his  followers 
believed  him,  "  the  Emperor  of  the  Great  Peace."  There 
was  plenty  of  worship,  of  a  certain  kind,  carried  on  side  by 
side  with  war. 

The  Rev.  J.  L.  Holmes,  a  missionary,  visited  Nanking, 
and  learned  many  particulars  about  their  religious  beliefs 
and  ceremonies,  afterwards  publishing  the  following,  among 
other  interesting  information  :  — 

"At  night  we  witnessed  their  worship.  It  occurred  at 
the  beginning  of  their  Sabbath,  midnight  of  Friday.  The 
place  of  worship  was  Chung  Wang's  private  audience-room. 
He  was  himself  seated  in  the  midst  of  his  attendants  —  no 
females  were  present.  They  first  sang,  or  rather  chanted, 
after  which  a  written  prayer  was  read,  and  burned  by  an 
officer,  upon  which  they  rose  and  sang  again,  and  then  sep- 
arated. The  Chung  Wang  sent  for  me  again  before  he  left 
his  seat,  and  asked  me  if  I  understood  their  mode  of  wor- 
ship. I  replied  that  I  had  just  seen  it  for  the  first  time. 
He  asked  what  our  mode  was.  I  replied  that  we  endeav- 
ored to  follow  the  rules  laid  down  in  the  Scriptures,  and 
thought  all  departure  therefrom  to  be  erroneous.  He  then 
proceeded  to  explain  the  ground  upon  which  they  departed 
from  this  rule.  The  Tien  ^Vang  had  been  to  heaven,  he 
said,  and  had  seen  the  Heavenly  Father.  Our  revelation 
had  been  handed  down  for  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
years.     They  had  received  a  new  additional  revelation  ;  and 


20  GENERAL    GORDON. 

upon  this  they  could  adopt  a  different  mode  of  worship.  I 
replied,  that  if  the  Tien  Wang  had  obtained  a  revelation,  we 
could  determine  its  genuineness  by  comparing  it  with  the 
Scriptures.  If  they  coincided,  they  might  be  parts  of  the 
same ;  if  not,  the  new  revelation  could  not  be  true,  as  God 
did  not  change.  He  suggested  that  there  might  be  a  sort  of 
disparagement  which  was  yet  appropriate,  as  in  the  Chinese 
garment,  which  is  buttoned  at  one  side.  To  this  compari- 
son I  objected,  as  comparing  a  piece  of  man's  work  with 
God's  work.  Ours  were  little  and  imperfect;  His  great 
and  glorious.  We  should  compare  God's  works  with  each 
other.  The  sun  did  not  rise  in  the  east  to-day  and  in  the 
west  to-morrow.  Winter  and  summer  did  not  change  their 
respective  characters.  Neither  would  the  Heavenly  Father 
capriciously  make  a  law  at  one  time  and  contradict  it  at 
another.  His  Majesty  seemed  rather  disconcerted  at  thus 
being  carried  out  of  the  usual  track  in  which  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  discoursing ;  and  we  parted,  proposing  to  talk  fur- 
thur  upon  the  subject  at  another  time. 

"  At  daylight  we  started  for  the  Tien  Wang's  palace. 
The  procession  was  headed  by  a  number  of  brilliantly-col- 
ored banners,  after  which  followed  a  troop  of  armed  soldiers. 
Then  came  Chung  Wang,  in  a  large  sedan,  covered  with  yel- 
low satin  and  embroidery,  and  borne  by  eight  coolies ;  next 
came  the  foreigner  on  horseback,  in  company  with  Chung 
Wang's  chief  officer,  followed  by  a  number  of  other  officers 
on  horseback.  On  our  way  several  of  the  other  kings  who 
were  in  the  city  fell  in  ahead  of  us  with  similar  retinues. 
Music  added  discord  to  the  scene,  and  curious  gazers  lined 
the  streets  on  either  side,  who  had,  no  doubt,  seen  kings 
before,  but  probably  never  witnessed  such  an  apparition  as 
that.  .  .  .  Reaching,  at  length,  the  palace  of  Tien  Wang,  a 
large   building  resembling  very  much  the  best  Confucian 


HUNG-TSUE-SCHUEN.  21 

temples,  though  of  much  greater  size  than  these  generally 
are,  we  entered  the  outer  gate,  and  proceeded  to  a  large 
building  to  the  east  of  the  palace  proper,  and  called  the 
Morning  Palace.  Here  we  were  presented  to  the  Tien 
Wang  and  his  son,  with  several  others.  After  resting  a  little 
while,  during  which  two  of  the  attendants  testified  their 
familiarity  with,  and  consequently  irreverence  for,  the 
royal  place,  by  concluding  a  misunderstanding  in  fisticuffs, 
we  proceeded  to  the  audience-hall  of  the  Tien  Wang.  I 
was  here  presented  to  the  Tien  Wang's  two  brothers,  two 
nephews,  and  son-in-law.  They  were  seated  at  the  entrance 
of  a  deep  recess,  over  which  was  written,  '  Illustrious  Heav- 
enly Door.'  At  the  end  of  this  recess,  further  in,  was 
pointed  out  to  us  His  Majesty  Tien  Wang's  seat,  which  was 
as  yet  vacant.  The  company  awaited  for  some  time  the 
arrival  of  the  Western  King,  whose  presence  seemed  to  be 
necessary  before  they  could  proceed  with  the  ceremonies. 
That  dignitary,  a  boy  of  twelve  or  fourteen,  directly  made 
his  appearance,  and  entering  at  the  Holy  Heavenly  Gate, 
took  his  place  with  the  royal  group.  They  then  proceeded 
with  their  ceremonies  as  follows  :  —  First,  they  kneeled  with 
their  faces  to  the  Tien  Wang's  seat,  and  uttered  a  prayer  to 
the  Heavenly  Brother;  then  kneeling,  with  their  faces  in 
the  opposite  direction,  they  prayed  to  the  Heavenly  Father, 
after  which  they  again  kneeled  with  their  faces  to  the  Tien 
Wang's  seat,  and  in  like  manner  repeated  a  prayer  to  him. 
They  then  concluded  by  singing  in  a  standing  position.  A 
roast  pig,  and  the  body  of  a  goat  were  lying,  with  other 
articles,  on  tables  in  the  outer  court ;  and  a  fire  was  kept 
burning  on  a  stone  altar  in  front  of  the  Tien  Wang's  seat,  in 
a  sort  of  court  intervening  between  it  and  the  termination 
of  the  recess  leading  to  it.  He  had  not  yet  appeared  ;  and 
though  all  waited  for  him  for  some  time  after  the  conclusion 


22  GENERAL    GORDON. 

of  the  ceremonies,  he  did  not  appear  at  all.  He  had  proba- 
bly changed  his  mind,  concluding  that  it  would  be  a  bad 
precedent  to  allow  a  foreigner  to  see  him  without  first  signi- 
fying submission  to  him  ;  or  it  may  be  that  he  did  not  mean 
to  see  me  after  learning  the  stubborn  nature  of  our  princi- 
ples, but  anxious  to  have  us  carry  away  some  account  of  the 
grandeur  and  magnificence  of  his  court,  had  taken  this  mode 
of  making  an  appropriate  impression,  leaving  the  imagina- 
tion to  supply  the  vacant  chair  which  his  own  ample  dimen- 
sions should  have  filled.  We  retired  to  the  Morning  Palace 
again,  where  kings,  princes,  foreigners,  and  all  were  called 
upon  to  '  ply  the  nimble,  lads,'  upon  a  breakfast  that  had 
been  prepared  for  us,  after  which  we  retired  in  the  order  in 
which  we  came." 

Chung  Wang  saw  Mr.  Holmes  afterwards,  privately. 
He  was  dressed  in  a  loose  white  silk  garment,  with  a  red 
handkerchief  round  his  head,  and  a  jewel  in  front.  He  sat 
in  an  easy-chair,  fanned  by  a  pretty  shp-shod  girl.  He 
asked  Mr.  Holmes  questions  about  foreign  machinery,  and 
especially  wished  him  to  explain  a  map,  a  musical  box,  and 
a  spy-glass.  He  became  afterwards  quite  sociable.  Mr. 
Holmes  had  liberty  to  visit  him  whenever  he  pleased.  But 
he  was  not  willing  to  be  drawn  into  a  discussion  in  regard 
to  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Testament,  which  conflicted 
with  those  of  Tien  Wang ;  he  admitted  that  the  two  did 
not  agree,  but  declared  that  the  revelation  of  Tien  Wang 
was  more  authoritative. 

Mr.  Holmes,  before  leaving,  entered  into  conversation 
with  many  people,  and  so  got  an  idea  of  Hung-Tsue- 
Schuen's  principles  and  hold  upon  his  adherents,  and  he 
concluded  that  there  was  very  little  real  religion  or  elevation 
of  either  character  or  sentiment  in  them. 

Strange  to  say,  there  was  among  foreign  nations  some 


HUNG-  rSUE-SCHUEN.  23 

sympathy  with  Hung  and  his  fanatics.  It  was  thought  by  a 
few  people  that  his  Christianity  was  better  than  none,  and 
that  possibly  the  rebels  had  some  right  after  all.  The 
relations  between  England  and  China  were  at  that  time 
anything  but  cordial,  as  might  have  been  expected  ;  and 
that  we  should  interfere  was  at  first  improbable.  The 
Imperial  authorities  endeavored  to  drive  the  rebels  towards 
the  sea ;  and  when  Shanghai  was  in  danger  of  an  attack, 
the  wealthy  traders  grew  so  alarmed  that  they  subscribed 
funds  to  induce  some  foreign  forces  to  protect  their  city. 
Already  Sung-kiang,  a  place  about  twenty  miles  from 
Shanghai,  was  occupied  by  the  rebels,  and  a  reward  was 
offered  to  two  American  filibusters  —  Ward  and  Burgevine 
—  who  were  trying  to  enlist  men,  to  induce  them  to 
re-capture  the  town.  Some  fighting  took  place,  and  at  first 
Ward  and  his  men  were  victorious.  The  Faithful  King,  one 
of  the  Tai-ping  leaders,  hearing  of  this,  led  a  new  army 
against  the  "  foreign  devils,"  as  the  Americans  were  called. 
They  drove  Ward  back  into  Sung-kiang,  and  then  marched 
direct  on  Shanghai,  devastating  the  country  as  they  went. 
But  the  allied  French  and  British  troops  that  were  in 
Shanghai  decided  now  to  assist  the  Imperialists  in  driving 
back  the  rebels,  and  they  were  repulsed  with  heavy  loss. 
They  made  another  attempt,  with  a  similar  result,  the 
following  day.  On  hearing  this,  the  Heavenly  King 
summoned  his  follower,  the  Faithful  One,  to  Nanking,  for 
consultation  and  instructions.  From  that  city  two  months 
later  four  immense  armies,  under  the  command  of  four 
great  Wangs,  set  forth  on  an  expedition  to  drive  the 
Imperialists  from  all  the  cities  between  Nanking  and 
Hanchow — a  district  of  nearly  four  hundred  miles. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

THE    EVER-VICTORIOUS    ARUIY. 

"  Let  us  go  thank  him  and  encourage  him." 

—  Js  You  Like  It. 

WHEN  the  news  of  the  onward  march  of  the  rebel 
forces  mentioned  in  the  previous  chapter  reached 
the  British  Naval  Commander-in-Chief,  Admiral  Sir  James 
Hope,  he  decided  to  visit  those  ports  on  the  Yangtze  which 
were  menaced  and  which  had  been  thrown  open  by  the 
Convention  of  Pekin  to  foreign  trade.  He  sailed,  therefore, 
up  the  river  in  February,  1861,  and  succeeded  in  getting 
into  communication  with  the  Heavenly  King.  Admiral 
Hope  requested  of  him  that  the  Yangtze  trade  should  not 
be  interfered  with,  and  the  rebel  leader  promised  that  the 
armies  of  the  Great  Peace  should  not  molest  any  of  the 
ports,  nor  at  all  interfere  with  Shanghai  for  one  year. 

The  Heavenly  King  kept  his  men  to  the  letter  of  his 
promise,  and  during  the  year  1861  they  engaged  themselves 
in  endeavoring  to  take  Hangkow,  and  make  their  way  into 
the  Yangtze  Valley.  But  they  were  very  unsuccessful,  and 
at  last,  when  the  troops  were  driven  back  into  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Shanghai,  the  Heavenly  King  informed  Admiral 
Hope  that  as  soon  as  the   year  of  truce  had  expired   he 


THE  EVER-VICTORIOUS^ARMY.  25 

would  attack  that  city.  He  was  warned  that  it  would  be  not 
only  unwise,  but  exceedingly  dangerous  on  his  part  to  at  all 
disturb  existing  arrangements;  but  in  January,  1862,  the 
Faithful  King  received  orders  from  headquarters  to  march 
his  forces  on  Shanghai,  in  disregard  of  all  warnings. 

In  the  meantime  Ward  had  not  been  idle.  He  was  now 
at  Sung-kiang  with  a  thousand  well-drilled  Chinese  soldiers 
in  his  army ;  and  the  allied  forces  at  once  resolved  to  join 
him  in  his  work  of  putting  down  the  Tai-ping  rebellion.  From 
February  to  June  the  Imperialists,  the  Allies,  and  the  army  of 
the  Americans,  worked  together  —  Captain  Dew,  R.N.,  being 
appointed  to  the  naval  command  —  and  they  succeeded  at 
once  in  driving  the  Tai-pings  out  of  Ningo-po. 

In  September  Ward  was  killed ;  and  his  companion  Burge- 
vine,  who  succeeded  him,  soon  proved  that  he  was  incompe- 
tent, and  altogether  unfit  for  the  post.  He  struck  the 
mandarin,  who  was  the  local  treasurer,  because  he  did  not  at 
once  pay  the  money  which  he  demanded,  and  ordered  his 
men  to  break  into  the  treasury  and  carry  off  a  large  sum. 
Such  conduct  could  not  be  tolerated ;  and  the  Chinese 
authorities  at  once  dismissed  him  from  their  service. 

But  now  the  adventurers  who  had  served  under  Ward  and 
Burgevine  were  without  a  captain ;  and  Li-Hung-Chang,  the 
great  Chinese  soldier  and  statesman,  asked  General  Staveley 
to  select  a  competent  British  officer  to  take  command  of  the 
Ever- Victorious  Army.  He  promised,  under  certain  condi- 
tions, to  do  the  best  that  he  could  ;  and  his  mind  at  once 
turned  to  Charles  Gordon.  He  knew  him ;  he  had  admired 
his  conduct ;  and  he  believed  that  he  possessed  very  great 
ability  as  well  as  courage. 

"  What  he  was  before  Sebastopol  he  has  been  since  — 
faithful,  trusty,  and  successful.  Before  Pekin  and  at  Shanghai 
he  has  evinced  just  the  qualities  that  are  needed  now.     Al- 


26  GENERAL    GORDON. 

though  he  has  never  been  in  command,  he  will  rise  to  this 
occasion,  to  which  he  is  m.ore  fitted  than  any  other  man  whom 
I  know." 

So  reasoned  General  Staveley  ;  and  ended  by  declaring  that 
Charles  Gordon  must  become  the  new  leader  of  the  Ever- 
Victorious  Army. 

Gordon  was  at  that  time  busy  in  making  a  military  survey 
of  the  land  around  Shanghai ;  and  he  did  not  wish  to  relin- 
quish this  important  work,  even  for  the  other  which  was  so 
much  more  responsible  and  great.  He  judged  rightly  that 
the  knowledge  he  was  now  gaining  would  be  of  use  to  him 
hereafter  ;  and  he  asked  to  be  allowed  for  the  i)resent  to  con- 
tinue at  the  work.  Sir  James  Hope,  therefore,  gave  the  com- 
mand to  Captain  Holland  of  the  Marine  Light  Infantry,  who 
at  once  besieged  the  walled  city  of  Taitsan. 

This  attempt  had  exceedingly  disastrous  results.  Holland 
had  received  false  information  respecting  the  defences  of 
Taitsan,  and  believed  it  to  be  surrounded  by  a  dry  ditch, 
when  in  reality  a  deep  moat  ran  around  it.  The  consequence 
was  that  he  was  defeated,  with  a  loss  of  three  hundred  men 
and  four  officers,  besides  the  32-pounders,  which  had  to  be 
abandoned. 

The  Tai-pings  were  of  course  greatly  rejoiced  —  and  Mr. 
Hake,  in  the  Story  of  Chinese  Gordon,  reproduces  an  amusing 
account  of  the  affair  written  by  one  of  the  Wangs.  " '  What 
general  is  he,'  cried  our  chief,  '  who  sends  his  men  to  storm 
a  city  without  first  ascertaining  that  there  is  a  moat?'  'And 
wJiat  general  is  he,' cried  another  of  our  leaders,  'who  allows 
a  storming-party  to  advance  without  bridges  ?  See,  oh  chief, 
these  unfortunates  ! '  So  we  laughed  and  jested  as  we  saw 
the  slaves  of  the  Tartar  usurper  advancing  to  destruction.  .  .  . 
*  Arise,'  cried  our  leader,  'oh,  inheritors  of  eternal  peace,  and 
drive  these  imps  from  the  face  of  our  land.'     And  we  arose 


THE  EVER-VICTORIOUS  ARMY.  27 

at  his  word  as  one  man  —  the  cry  of  blood  was  in  our  mouths, 
and  the  thirst  for  blood  consumed  us  —  we  sallied  forth  on 
the  ever-victorious  troops,  and,  behold,  they  retired  as  soon 
as  they  saw  the  brandishing  of  our  spears.  Many  fled,  fling- 
ing away  their  arms  in  their  haste  ;  their  ammunition  and  their 
belts  also  they  cast  upon  the  ground  in  their  fear.  The  imp- 
ish followers  of  the  Mandarins  set  them  the  example,  and 
many  followed  it.  Little  cared  they  for  bridges  in  their  haste 
—  they  scattered  themselves  over  the  face  of  the  country,  and 
we  pursued  them  as  they  fled.  There  were  English  officers 
too.  Oh,  recorder  of  events,  how  they  ran  ! '  "  The  precious 
record  concludes  thus  :  —  "  '  We  retired  before  the  face  of 
the  foreigners,  because  we  knew  their  might ;  we  withdrew 
beyond  the  line  which  they  chalked  out,  and  we  will  not  trans- 
gress beyond  it ;  but  the  country  we  possess  will  we  hold,  and 
scatter  to  the  four  winds  of  heaven  any  impish  fiends  who 
come  against  us.  Let  not  the  Mandarin  slaves  think  that  in 
their  service  alone  are  foreigners  employed,  and  that  they 
alone  reap  the  benefit  of  their  warlike  experience.  Numbers 
of  them  have  acknowledged  the  supremacy  of  our  Heavenly 
King,  and  joined  us  in  our  efforts  to  make  great  peace  pre- 
vail. Many  were  in  Taitsan,  and  a  Frenchman  pointed  the 
gun  which  carried  death  into  the  ranks  of  our  foes.  Oh,  re- 
corder of  events,  we,  too,  have  disciplined  troops  —  and  we, 
too,  have  European  firearms,  as  the  imps  found  to  their  cost. 
They  have  essa}'ed  our  might,  and  have  experienced  the 
strength  of  our  arms.  Let  them  rest  in  Sung-kiang.  They 
thought  they  could  take  Nanking,  but  they  failed  in 
Taitsan.'  " 

It  was  felt  that  the  Ever- Victorious  Army  would  not  keep 
the  name  it  had  chosen  for  itself  if  a  stronger  and  greater 
leader  were  not  at  once  placed  at  the  head  of  it ;  and  after 
the   Taitsan   defeat,   Gordon  gave  up  his  survey  work  and 


2S  GENERAL    GORDON. 

took  command.  It  was  no  easy  task  that  had  been  given 
him ;  but  he  beheved  that  he  might  be  sure  of  divine 
guidance.  He  had  become  a  commander ;  but  he  would 
take  his  command  from  the  Great  Captain,  who  is  ever  on 
the  side  of  right ;  and  he  was  not  afraid.  Self  did  not 
enter  into  his  considerations  at  all :  he  wished  to  be  useful, 
and  do  his  duty  successfully,  and  he  cared  little  for  what 
might  lie  beyond.  His  letter,  dated  24th  March,  1863, 
shows  the  spirit  in  which  he  undertook  the  work :  — 

"  I  am  afraid  you  will  be  much  vexed  at  my  having  taken 
the  command  of  the  Sung-kiang  force,  and  that  I  am  now  a 
Mandarin.  I  have  taken  the  step  on  consideration.  I 
think  that  any  one  who  contributes  to  putting  down  this 
rebellion  fulfils  a  humane  task,  and  I  also  think  tends  a 
great  deal  to  open  China  to  civilization.  I  will  not  act  rashly, 
and  trust  to  be  able  soon  to  return  to  England  ;  at  the  same 
time  I  will  remember  yours  and  my  father's  wishes,  and 
endeavor  to  remain  as  short  a  time  as  possible.  I  can  say 
that  if  I  had  not  accepted  the  command,  I  believe  the 
force  would  have  been  broken  up  and  the  rebellion  gone  on 
in  its  misery  for  years.  I  trust  this  will  not  now  be  the  case, 
and  that  I  may  soon  be  able  to  comfort  you  on  this  sub- 
ject. You  must  not  fret  on  this  matter  :  I  think  I  am  doing 
a  good  service.  ...  I  keep  your  likeness  before  me,  and 
can  assure  you  and  my  father  that  I  will  not  be  rash,  and 
that  as  soon  as  I  can  conveniently,  and  with  due  regard  to 
the  object  I  have  in  view,  I  will  return  home." 

Gordon  soon  proved  himself  not  only  courageous,  but 
exceedingly  original  in  his  plans,  and  i)rompt  in  carrying 
them  out.  Instead  of  revenging  the  defeat  at  Taitsan,  as 
many  persons  desired  him  to  do,  he  determined  to  go  away 
from  the  neighborhood,  and  make  war  upon  some  other 
place  held  by  the  rebels.     His  policy  was  a  bold  one.     He 


THE  EVER-VICTORIOUS  ARMY.  29 

would  go  at  once  to  the  very  heart  of  the  rebeUion,  and  by 
some  military  masterpiece  of  stratagem  and  skill  prove  to 
the  rebels  the  kind  of  opposition  with  which  they  had  now 
to  deal.  He  therefore  took  two  steamers  and  a  thousand 
men,  and  went  away  towards  Fushan,  which  lies  on  the 
southern  bank  of  the  Yangtze  estuary.  He  landed  there, 
although  the  Tai-pings  saw  him  ;  and  he  went  from  Fushan 
to  Chanzu,  a  city  ten  miles  inland,  which  was  loyal  to  the 
Imperialists,  although  besieged  by  the  rebels. 

Mr.  Andrew  Wilson,  in  his  interesting  book,  says  the  fol- 
lowing in  reference  to  Chanzu  :  —  "  The  garrison  of  Chanzu 
itself  had  a  curious  story  to  tell.  They  had  all  been  rebels, 
but  had  suddenly  transferred  the  town  and  their  services  to 
the  other  side.  Their  chief,  Lo-Kuo-Chung,  had  persuaded 
them  to  shave  their  heads  and  declare  for  the  Imperialist 
cause  early  in  the  year,  and  this  they  did  in  conjunction  with 
the  garrison  at  Fushan ;  but  no  sooner  had  they  done  so, 
than,  to  their  dismay,  the  Faithful  King  came  down  upon 
them  with  a  large  force,  took  Fushan,  and  laid  siege  to  them, 
trying  to  overcome  them  by  various  kinds  of  assault  and 
surprise.  He  brought  against  them  the  two  32-pounders  which 
had  been  recovered  after  having  been  taken  at  Taitsan,  and 
partially  breached  the  wall.  He  offered  any  terms  to  the 
soldiers  if  they  would  come  over ;  and  in  order  to  show  his 
great  success,  sent  in  the  heads  of  three  European  officers 
who  had  been  killed  at  Taitsan.  Lo,  in  these  trying  circum- 
stances, had  been  obliged  to  do  a  good  deal  of  beheading  in 
order  to  keep  his  garrison  staunch  ;  but  he,  and  probably 
most  of  his  followers,  felt  they  had  committed  too  unpardon- 
able a  sin  ever  to  trust  themselves  again  into  Tai-ping 
hands." 

To  their  help  went  Gordon  and  his  men.  He  would  be 
glad  to  relieve  the  garrison  ;    and  in  going  there  he  was 


30  GENERAL    GORDON. 

showing  a  bold  front  to  the  enemy.  He  planted  his  guns 
among  the  ruins  at  Fushan,  and  opened  his  fire  at  once. 
There  was  a  strong  stockade  built  by  the  rebels,  and 
towards  this  he  directed  his  32-pounders  and  12-pounder 
howitzers.  A  second  stockade  on  the  opposite  bank  was 
treated  in  a  similar  manner.  But,  after  three  hours'  bom- 
bardment, the  rebels  gathered  in  such  force  that  Gordon 
gave  up  fighting  for  the  night. 

In  the  morning  he  saw,  with  surprise  and  satisfaction, 
that  the  enemy  were  retreating  towards  the  great  rebel 
centre,  Soochow.  When  they  had  gone,  Gordon  hastened 
to  take  his  force  up  to  Chanzu ;  and  his  men,  with  a  body 
of  Mandarin  troops,  went  through  the  gates.  The  inmates 
of  the  besieged  town  were  delighted  to  welcome  their 
deliverer ;  the  Mandarins  received  them  in  state,  and  the 
poor  people  testified  to  their  joy.  Gordon  writes  that  he 
saw  the  young  rebel  chiefs  v/ho  had  come  over.  They  were 
very  intelligent,  were  splendidly  dressed  in  their  silks,  and 
had  big  pearls  in  their  caps.  The  head-man  was  about 
thirty-five  years  old,  and  was  ill  and  worn  with  anxiety. 
"  He  was  so  very  glad  to  see  me,  and  chin-chinned  most 
violently,  regretting  his  inability  to  give  me  a  present,  which 
I  told  him  was  not  the  custom  of  our  people." 

This  victory,  won  so  rapidly,  brought  other  results  than 
those  which  seemed  to  lie  on  the  surface.  That  which 
Gordon  had  anticipated  came  to  pass  :  his  men  were  put 
into  good  spirit,  and  had  strong  faith  in  their  leader,  who  at 
once  set  himself  to  bring  about  some  much-needed  reform 
in  the  discipline  of  his  army.  One  thing  that  greatly  encour- 
aged him  was  the  fact  that  certain  British  officers  whom  he 
knew,  and  who  held  him  in  high  esteem,  had  asked  leave  to 
serve  under  him  in  China.  He  was,  therefore,  strengthened 
and  comforted  by  his  own  people. 


THE  EVER-VICTORIOUS  ARMY.  31 

Besides  this,  he  was  now  Brigadier- General,  the  grade  of 
Tsung-ping  being  granted  him  by  Imperial  decree.  Li-Hung- 
Chung  thought  well  of  him,  and  \vas  anxious  to  aid  him  in 
every  possible  way ;  and  w-ith  his  assistance  Gordon  soon 
estabhshed  something  like  order  in  his  force.  He  instituted 
a  system  of  regular  payments.  Previously  the  men  had 
looked  upon  plunder  as  their  chief  and  legitimate  reward  ; 
but  this  was  not  at  all  in  accordance  with  the  views  of  their 
new  General,  who  agreed  to  give  the  private  soldiers,  who 
were  all  Chinese,  from  ;^  3  los.  to^4  10  s.  Lieutenants 
were  to  have  ^  30  a  month,  and  colonels  ^75  or  ;^  85. 
The  commissioned  officers  were  none  of  them  Chinese  — 
they  were  English,  American,  Germans,  Frenchmen,  and 
Spaniards.  All  were  paid  monthly  by  a  Chinese  official 
named  Kah,  in  the  presence  of  Gordon  himself. 

At  first  the  General  had  some  difficulty  w^ith  the  uniform. 
It  was  unlike  anything  which  the  Chinese  wore,  and  the  men 
were  called  by  their  countrymen,  who  rejoice  in  giving  nick- 
names to  everybody,  "  Imitation  Foreign  Devils."  But  later, 
when  the  force  had  been  everyw^here  successful,  it  was 
thought  that  their  dress  had  something  to  do  with  it,  for  the 
courage  of  the  rebels  died  away  when"  they  had  to  fight 
foreigners. 

Gordon  saw  that  the  men  were  well-armed,  as  w^ell  as 
well-dressed,  well-paid,  and  well-fed.  He  was  generous  in 
everything.  He  prepared  a  flotilla  of  steamboats  and  Chi- 
nese gunboats ;  saw  that  there  was  a  proper  supply  of  all 
things  that  would  be  needed  for  transport  and  actual  fight- 
~  ing  ;  and  he  had  his  men  well  drilled  in  every  respect. 

When  things  were  in  perfect  readiness,  and  not  till  then, 
Gordon  summoned  his  force  to  action.  He  decided  to 
march  to  Quinsan,  an  important  rebel  centre.  It  was  known 
that  he  intended  to  attack  either  that  or  one  of  the  other 


32  GENERAL    GORDON. 

two  centres,  Taitsan  or  Soochow.  He  decided  to  go  first  to 
Quinsan,  because  of  the  existence  there  of  an  arsenal  and  a 
shot  manufactory,  and  if  that  were  taken,  the  power  of  the 
other  two  cities  would  become  less.  But  as  he  was  march- 
ing toward  Quinsan,  news  reached  him  of  an  act  of  great 
treachery  on  the  part  of  the  rebels,  which  arrested  his  pro- 
gress, and  caused  him  to  take  his  army  toward  Taitsan. 

The  circumstances  that  led  to  this  change  of  route  were 
these  :  the  commander  of  Taitsan  had  sent  to  Governor  Li 
to  say  that  the  town  would  surrender  to  the  Imperialists. 
General  Li  therefore  sent  some  men  forvvard  to  take  posses- 
sion. But  as  soon  as  they  arrived  the  rebels  changed  their 
tactics,  and  beheaded  two  hundred  of  the  Imperialists,  mak- 
ing prisoners  of  the  rest. 

When  Gordon  heard  of  this,  he  decided  that  the  punish- 
ment of  such  treachery  must  be  swift,  sure,  and  terrible  ;  and 
he  resolved  to  be  the  agent  in  carrying  out  the  retribution, 
which  had  been  justly  deserved.  Without  loss  of  time  or 
hesitation  he  marched  on  Taitsan.  He  knew  that  there  was 
no  comparison  between  his  army  and  that  which  he  had  to 
oppose.  The  garrison  was  manned  by  ten  thousand  soldiers, 
while  he  had  only  three  thousand  to  bring  against  them  ;  but 
he  did  not  falter  in  the  least.  Making  his  preparations  step 
by  step,  with  care,  but  with  romantic  courage,  he  took 
stockades,  bridges,  and  ports,  placed  his  guns  in  position, 
and  bringing  his  artillery  forward,  opened  fire  upon  the  bat- 
tlements. The  rebels,  headed  by  some  foreigners  who  had 
joined  them,  met  the  assault  with  stubborn  and  energetic 
resistance  ;  but  it  was  no  use.  They  gained  one  temporary 
advantage  ;  but  when  the  battle  ceased,  Gordon  had  won  a 
decisive  victory.  He  said  in  his  letter  home  that  Taitsan 
was  very  important,  and  its  capture  well  merited  ;  adding, 
"  It  openi  out  a  large   tract  of  country ;  and  the  Chinese 


THE  EVER-VICTOKIOUS  ARMY.  Zl 

generals  were  delighted,  and  have  said  all  sorts  of  civil  things 
about  the  force.  I  am  now  a  Tsung-ping  Mandarin  (which 
is  the  second  highest  grade),  and  have  acquired  a  good  deal 
of  influence,  though  I  do  not  care  about  that  over  much." 
He  had  lost  a  great  many  men,  and  among  them  the  brave 
leader  of  the  assault.  Captain  Bannen. 

An  incident  followed  which  gave  rise  to  considerable  com- 
motion in  England. 

Our  country  has  always  set  its  face  unflinchingly  and  res- 
olutely against  all  cruelty  and  oppression.  As  soon  as  news 
reaches  us  of  any  outrage,  we  are  up  in  arms  immediately. 
We  do  not  always  wait  until  we  are  quite  sure  that  the  news 
is  true  before  we  become  righteously  indignant.  These  feel- 
ings are  so  natural  to  Englishmen,  and  on  the  whole  so  noble, 
that  none  would  wish  to  see  them  changed ;  though  some- 
times, no  doubt,  the  innocent  suffer  the  blame  instead  of  the 
guilty. 

Certainly,  Charles  Gordon  and  his  associates  had  a  consid- 
erable amount  of  censure  passed  upon  them. 

The  Imperialists  condemned  seven  prisoners  to  suffer  a 
slow  and  ignominious  death.  They  were  to  be  beheaded ; 
but  before  this  was  done  they  were  tied  up  and  exposed  to 
view,  with  arrows  sticking  in  them,  and  pieces  of  skin  flayed 
from  their  arms.  That  was  very  terrible  :  to  our  English  and 
Christian  ideas  it  was  perfectly  horrible  ;  and  when  the  news 
reached  this  country  it  awoke  a  storm  of  indignant  notices  in 
the  press.  Letters  were  written  which  represented  the  matter 
to  be  worse  than  it  really  was.  The  letters  were  signed 
"  Eye-witness,"  "  Justice  and  Mercy,"  and  so  on,  and  de- 
clared that  all  kinds  of  cruelties  were  practised.  In  China 
stories  were  invented  and  circulated,  which  were  reproduced 
in  England,  and  did  great  harm. 

In  the  deaths  mentioned  above,  Gordon  had  no  part  what- 


34  GENERAL    GORDON. 

ever.  The  Mandarins  of  their  own  accord  punished  the  rebels. 
Gordon  was  exceedingly  displeased  at  what  had  occurred, 
and  said  so  in  the  plainest  and  strongest  words  possible ; 
and  General  Brown,  who  commanded  Her  Majesty's  forces  in 
China,  went  so  far  as  to  declare  that  if  such  a  thing  occurred 
again  he  would  refuse  any  longer  to  assist  the  Imperial- 
ists. But  there  was  a  great  stir  made  both  in  China  and  at 
home,  and  Gordon  thought  it  was  wise  and  necessary  to  write 
the  following  letter  to  the  Shanghai  Shipping  News :  — 

"  15th  June,  1863. 
"  I  am  of  belief  that  the  Chinese  of  this  force  are  quite  as 
merciful  in  action  as  the  soldiers  of  any  Christian  nation 
could  be  ;  and  in  proof  of  this  can  point  to  over  seven  hun- 
dred prisoners  taken  in  the  last  engagement  (Quinsan)  who 
are  now  in  our  employ.  Some  have  entered  our  ranks  and 
done  service  against  the  rebels  since  their  capture.  But  one 
life  has  been  taken  out  of  this  number,  and  that  one  was  a 
rebel,  who  tried  to  induce  his  comrades  to  fall  on  the  guard, 
and  who  was  shot  on  the  spot.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  im- 
agine that  the  men  of  this  force  are  worthless.  They  will, 
in  the  heat  of  action,  put  their  enemies  to  death  as  the  troops 
of  any  nation  would  do  ;  but  when  the  fight  is  over,  they  will 
associate  as  freely  together  as  if  they  had  never  fought.  .  .  . 
If '  Observer  '  and  '  Eye-Witness,'  with  their  friend  *  Justice 
and  Mercy,'  would  come  forward  and  communicate  what  they 
know,  it  would  be  far  more  satisfactory  than  writing  state- 
ments of  the  nature  of  those  alluded  to  by  the  Bishop  of 
Victoria.  And  if  any  one  is  under  the  impression  that  the 
inhabitants  of  the  rebel  districts  like  their  rebel  masters,  he 
has  only  to  come  up  here  to  be  disabused  of  his  idea.  I  do 
not  exaggerate  when  I  say  that  upwards  of  one  thousand  five 
hundred  rebels  were  killed  in  their  retreat  from  Quinsan,  by 
the  villagers,  who  rose  en  tnasse^ 


THE  EVER-VICTORIOUS  ARMY.  35 

Gordon  needed  patience  and  forbearance  as  much  as 
courage.  Not  only  did  lie  receive  blame  from  those  "  who 
sit  at  home  at  ease,"  and  who  are  always  the  worst  to  please 
of  any,  but  he  had  some  difficulty  with  his  men,  and  espe- 
cially with  his  officers.  He  told  his  soldiers  that  there  was  to 
be  no  plunder ;  but  Taitsan  was  plundered  without  mercy. 
He  thanked  the  men  and  officers  for  their  bravery  at  Taitsan, 
but  expressed  his  dissatisfaction  at  the  lack  of  discipline. 
Next  he  chose  other  officers  for  certain  posts,  especially  giv- 
ing an  important  position  to  Deputy-Assistant  Commissary- 
General  Cooksley,  to  whom  he  gave  the  title  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  and  whom  he  placed  over  the  commissariat  and 
military  stores.  This  offended  the  majors  who  were  to  act 
under  him,  and  they  sent  in  their  resignations,  which  Gordon 
accepted. 

There  came  a  time  when  everybody  praised  him,  but  it 
was  not  yet.  At  present  people  did  not  know  him  as  well  as 
they  did  afterwards ;  and  censure  and  suspicion  tried  the 
soul  of  the  brave  man,  who  had  only  one  desire,  and  that 
was  to  do  the  right.  As  we  see,  not  only  his  Chinese 
exploits,  but  his  whole  life  standing  out  in  its  grand 
simplicity,  we  cannot  but  feel  that  he  proved  himself  then 
and  ever  a  true  soldier  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  we 
say,  with  one  accord,  "  Let  us  go  thank  him  and  encourage 
him." 


CHAPTER  V. 

SUCCESSES   AND   TRIALS. 

"  To  the  dauntless  temper  of  his  mind, 

He  hath  a  wisdom  that  doth  guide  his  valor 

To  act  in  safety." 

—  Macbeth. 

THE  taking  of  Quinsan  was  one  of  the  most  effective 
of  Gordon's  engagements,  and  it  was  most  cleverly 
accomplished.  He  went  to  the  attack  with  600  artillery  and 
2,300  infantry.  They  were  opposed  by  a  force  of  about 
12,000.  Quinsan  was  a  large  city,  four  and  a  half  miles  in 
circumference.  There  is  a  high  hill  in  the  centre,  and  the 
enemy  from  the  top  of  it  could  obtain  a  view  of  the  country 
all  around.  It  was  commanded  by  a  skilful  chief,  named 
Moh  Wang,  who  placed  men  on  the  hill  to  telegraph  to  him 
all  the  movements  of  the  Ever-Victorious  Army.  Gordon 
made  his  first  attack  upon  the  east  gate  ;  but  he  saw  that  the 
best  plan  would  be  to  bring  up  his  little  steamer  Hyson  to 
work.  Quinsan  and  Soochow  were  placed  between  Lake 
Yansing  and  some  considerable  creeks.  As  the  two  places, 
Quinsan  and  Soochow,  depended  greatly  upon  each  other, 
he  knew  that  it  was  very  important,  from  his  point  of  view, 
to  cut  off  all  communication  between  them.  So  having 
invested  the  city  by  means  of  his  own  soldiers  and  some  of 


SUCCESSES  AND    TRIALS.  37 

the  Imperialist  forces,  in  order  that  the  enemy  should  not 
retreat  to  Chanzu,  he  brought  the  Hyson,  accompanied  by  a 
fleet  of  eighty  sail,  upon  the  scene.  There  was  a  village  only 
a  few  miles  from  Quinsan,  which  might  be  called  the  key  to 
the  city ;  and  he  therefore  came  at  once  to  this  village, 
Chanzu,  though  he  had  to  come  through  twenty  miles  of 
water  occupied  by  the  enemy.  He  was  successful  in  sur- 
prising and  capturing  the  rebel  garrison  at  Chanzu,  and  there 
he  left  three  hundred  riflemen  and  a  good  part  of  his  force 
in  charge.  He  himself,  taking  only  the  well-armed  crew  of 
the  Hyson,  commanded  by  an  American  of  great  ability. 
Captain  Davidson,  went  toward  Soochow  to  reconnoitre. 
They  fell  in  with  a  large  body  of  the  rebels,  and  at  once  fired 
upon  them  with  such  effect  that  they  retreated,  leaving  Gor- 
don master  of  the  canal.  The  steamer  pursued  the  fugitives, 
and  v/ent  on  her  victorious  course  almost  unmolested,  taking 
canal,  stockades,  and  ports,  with  very  little  trouble. 

Gordon's  heart  was  set  upon  Soochow  as  the  next  strong- 
hold to  be  attacked,  and  he  managed  to  steam  up  to  its 
very  walls.  When  he  had  seen  what  he  wished,  he  steamed 
back  to  Chanzu,  arriving  just  in  time,  for  the  rebel  garrison 
were  trying  to  escape.  But  the  Hyson  was  again  brought 
into  requisition,  and  the  Tai-pings,  who  were  almost  fright- 
ened to  death,  were  driven  back.  They  need  not  have 
been,  if  they  had  only  known  how  to  use  their  vast  forces 
wisely ;  for  they  were  numerous  enough  to  have  won 
repeated  victories  where  they  really  had  defeat.  It  was 
thought  that  no  fewer  than  15,000  rebels  were  beaten  at 
Quinsan. 

Gordon  and  his  force  at  last  entered  unopposed  into 
Quinsan  through  the  east  gate.  He  gave  orders  that  the 
prisoners  were  to  be  treated  as  if  they  had  surrendered  to 
British  officers.     No  one  was  to  be  beheaded  or  ill-used. 


38  GENERAL    GORDON. 

The  result  of  this  merciful  command  was  that  seven  hundred 
men  entered  the  ranks  of  the  Ever- Victorious.  This  engage- 
ment was  of  the  utmost  consequence.  Gordon  had  only  two 
killed  and  five  wounded,  but  the  victory  was  most  decisive 
and  important. 

He  wrote  home,  declaring  that  the  steamers  would  do 
more  than  anything  to  hasten  matters.  "  The  horror  of  the 
rebels  at  the  steamer  is  very  great.  When  she  whistles  they 
cannot  make  it  out."  He  told  them  that  he  was  raised  to 
the  rank  of  Tsung-ping,  or  Red  Button  Mandarin.  He 
described  the  country  as  wonderful  for  creeks  and  lakes, 
and  said  that  it  was  very  rich.  "  My  occupying  this  city 
enables  the  Imperial  Government  to  protect  an  enormous 
district,  rich  in  corn,  etc.,  and  the  people  around  are  so 
thankful  for  their  release  that  it  is  quite  a  pleasure.  They 
were  in  a  desperate  plight  before  our  arrival,  as  their  way  lay 
between  the  rebels  and  Imperialists.  .  .  .  You  may  hea:.-  of 
cruelties  being  committed  ;  do  not  believe  them.  We  took 
nearly  800  prisoners,  and  some  of  them  have  entered  my 
body-guard,  and  fought  since  against  their  old  friends  the 
rebels.  If  I  had  time  I  could  tell  such  extraordinary  stories 
of  the  way  men  from  distant  provinces  meet  each  other,  and 
the  way  villagers  recognize  in  our  ranks  old  rebels  who  have 
visited  villages  for  plunder ;  but  I  really  have  no  time  for  it. 
I  took  a  Mandarin  who  had  been  a  rebel  for  three  years, 
and  have  him  now  ;  he  has  a  bullet  in  his  cheek,  which  he 
received  wlien  fighting  against  the  rebels.  The  rebels  I  took 
into  my  guard  were  snake  flag-bearers  of  head  chiefs,  and 
they  are  fiiU  of  the  remarks  of  their  old  masters.  The  snake- 
flags  are  the  marks  of  head  men  in  both  armies.  Whenever 
they  are  seen  there  is  a  chief  present.  When  they  go,  you 
know  the  rebels  will  retire.  At  Taitsan  the  snake- flags 
remained  till  the  last,  and  this  accounted  for  a  severe  fight. 


SUCCESSES  AND    TRIALS.  39 

...  I  dare  say  I  shall  be  loudly  attacked  in  the  House  of 
Commons.  ...  As  you  say,  the  pay  is  not  my  motive.  I 
really  do  think  I  am  doing  a  good  service  in  putting  down 
this  rebellion,  and  so  would  any  one  if  he  saw  the  delight  of 
the  villagers  at  getting  out  of  their  oppressors'  hands." 

After  capturing  Quinsan,  the  General  had  a  time  of  quiet, 
inasmuch  as  no  big  battles  were  fought,  but  othenvise  he 
was  tried  exceedingly.  He  saw  that  it  would  be  wise  to 
make  Quinsan  his  future  head-quarters,  as,  from  a  military 
point  of  view,  the  situation  was  incomparably  better  than 
Sung-kiang.  But  when  the  troops  heard  of  it,  they  became 
rebellious  and  mutinous.  They  preferred  Sung-kiang, 
because  there  they  could  easily  dispose  of  the  plunder 
which  they  hoped  and  intended  to  secure,  and  it  was  not 
their  wish  at  all  to  move.  But,  of  course,  Gordon  was 
resolved  to  have  his  own  way.  And  there  came  a  time  when 
a  severe  test  must  be  applied  in  order  to  settle  once  for  all 
the  question  as  to  which  was  the  mightier  —  the  Ever- Vic- 
torious x'Vrmy  or  its  dauntless  leader. 

'NMien  the  artillery  was  ordered  to  fall  in,  the  answer  was 
a  blank  refusal  to  do  so,  accompanied  by  a  threat  to  attack 
and  kill  all  the  officers,  whether  English  or  Chinese.  They 
made  a  proclamation  to  General  Gordon  to  this  effect,  hand- 
ing it  to  him  in  writing.  Gordon  called  them  before  him, 
and  addressed  them  :  "  Now,  my  men,  I  want  to  know  who 
is  responsible  for  this  proclamation,  and  why  you  did  not 
fall  in  when  ordered  to  do  so?  " 

No  one  spoke.  Every  one  was  afraid  to  confess  the 
truth.  Gordon  believed  that  the  non-commissioned  ofliccrs 
had  stirred  up  the  men  to  mutiny,  but  he  wanted  to  be  sure. 

"  Now  are  you  going  to  tell  me  ?  Very  well,  then,  we  will 
lose  no  time.      One  in  every  five  of  you  will  be  shot !  " 

This  was  startling,  and  the  men  at  once  began  to  groan 


40  GEXEKAL    GORDON. 

and  cry.  One  of  the  powers  which  has  helped  Gordon  in 
his  remarkable  career  is  the  ability  to  read  character  and 
see  into  human  nature.  He  noticed  one  man  who  was 
particularly  loud  in  his  lamentations.  "That  is  the  man 
who  is  the  ringleader  of  this  affair,"  said  Gordon  to  himself. 

He  was  always  prompt  in  action,  and  he  now  acted  upon 
the  impulse  of  the  moment,  feeling  sure  he  was  right.  With 
his  own  hand  he  seized  the  man  and  dragged  him  forth,  giv- 
ing at  once  the  grim  order  —  "  Shoot  that  man  /  " 

He  was  obeyed  instantly. 

He  then  called  all  the  non-commissioned  officers  before 
him. 

"  You  are  ordered  into  confinement  for  an  hour,"  he  said. 
"  It  is  an  hour  given  to  you  for  thought.  If  at  the  end  of 
that  time  you  do  not  give  up  the  name  of  the  writer  of  that 
proclamation,  and  if  you  do  not  cause  the  men  to  fall  in, 
you  know  your  fate  ;  every  fifth  man  will  be  shot." 

This  had  the  desired  effect.  The  name  of  the  person  who 
was  responsible  for  the  proclamation  was  given  in,  and  Gor- 
don had  the  satisfaction  of  discovering  that  he  had  shot  the 
right  man. 

After  this  he  had  no  difficulty  from  the  men ;  the  mutiny 
was  at  an  end,  and  they  were  ready  to  march  to  Quinsan 
and  take  up  their  head-quarters  there  as  the  General  wished. 

But  Charles  Gordon  had  not  disposed  of  all  his  troubles, 
nor  could  he  do  so  easily.  Unfortunately,  General  Ching 
was  jealous  of  him,  and  sought  to  injure  him.  Ching 
thought  too  much  was  made  of  Gordon.  Very  naturally 
he  believed  himself  the  better  man  of  the  two,  and  did  not 
approve  of  the  rewards  and  the  honors  which  were  given  to 
the  foreigner.  He  wrote  letters  to  Li-Hung-Chang,  which 
he  hoped  would  cause  him  to  view  Gordon  with  disfavor. 
He  did  one  very  dastardly  thing  —  he  caused  some  of  his 


SUCCESSES  AND    TRIALS.  41 

gunboats  to  open  fire  on  Gordon's  army,  declaring  after- 
wards that  it  was  a  joke.  When  pressed  further  he  said  that 
he  had  not  recognized  the  flag  on  which  his  troops  had  fired. 
Gordon  could  be  exceedingly  angry  on  occasion,  and  he 
became  so  now.  He  retorted  that  General  Ching  knew 
very  well  what  he  was  doing ;  and  he  wrote  to  Li-Hung- 
Chang  insisting  upon  this.  When  he  got  no  satisfaction,  he 
resolved  that  he  would  go  and  fight  Ching  himself;  but  Li 
would  not  allow  this.  He  sent  a  messenger  to  Ching,  who 
obliged  him  to  apologize  to  Gordon. 

But  greater  troubles  still  awaited  the  victorious  General. 
He  had  to  fight  with  many  things  besides  the  rebellion. 
If  he  had  allowed  the  men  to  behave  as  they  pleased  with 
impunity,  if  he  had  permitted  plunder  and  self-indulgence 
on  their  part,  they  would  have  been  better  pleased.  He 
was  too  strict  and  too  honorable  to  give  them  satisfaction. 
He  was  very  desirous  of  making  at  once  an  attack  on 
Soochow,  and  to  do  this  he  wished  to  march  on  Wokong ; 
but  the  artillery  ofiicers  declared  that  they  would  not  serve 
under  Major  Trapp,  whom  Gordon  had  appointed.  The 
intrepid  General  at  once  set  to  work  to  find  other  men  ; 
but  discovering  that  he  was  doing  this,  the  officers  yielded, 
and  were  forgiven. 

Soochow  is  a  most  important  city  on  the  Grand  Canal. 
To  take  it  was  Gordon's  intense  desire.  It  is  surrounded 
by  water-ways ;  ancj  by  water  Gordon  resolved  to  attack  it. 
If  that  were  wrested  from  the  rebels,  very  much  would  be 
gained.  "~~~" 

First,  Gordon  desired  to  take  Kahpoo  and  Wokong, 
because  if  these  places  were  secured,  he  would  have  the  keys 
to  the  rebel  positions.  The  Imperialists  had  their  ideas 
and  Gordon  had  his  ;  and  if  they  were  divided  as  to  ways 
and  means,  they  were  united  in  the  wish  to  v/in  the  city  of 


42  GENERAL    GORDON. 

pagodas,  the  capital  of  the  province.  Gordon  first  attempted 
to  take  the  two  forts  of  Kahpoo,  because  then  he  would  have 
possession  of  the  water-ways  and  roads  leading  to  Soochow. 

He  therefore  brought  his  steamers,  Firefly  and  Cjickct, 
and  stormed  Kahpoo,  He  went  from  thence  to  Wokong, 
which  place  he  beleaguered  on  every  side.  Four  thousand 
prisoners  were  taken,  several  important  chiefs  among  them. 
The  leader,  Yang  Wang,  hearing  who  was  coming,  had  fled ; 
but  the  two  places,  Kahpoo  and  Wokong,  were  soon  in  the 
hands  of  the  Ever- Victorious  Army. 

And  just  at  that  time,  with  his  successes  fresh  upon  him, 
Charles  Gordon  became  so  disheartened  that  he  resolved  to 
throw  up  the  command,  and  abandon  the  whole  expedition. 

He  was  discouraged  by  the  opposition  and  want  of  confi- 
dence that  he  continually  met  with,  when  he  had  a  right  to 
look  for  other  treatment.  The  Chinese  Government  failed 
to  send  him  the  money  that  was  due  to  his  troops ;  and  the 
men  and  officers  were  both  angry  with  him  for  his  strictness 
of  discipline  and  determination  not  to  permit  plunder. 
Nearly  half  the  Ever- Victorious  Army  deserted  their  com- 
mander immediately  after  he  had  led  them  to  victory.  He 
could  not  have  kept  up  the  numbers  at  all,  but  that  he 
recruited  from  the  rebel  prisoners. 

His  colleague  Ching  also  added  greatly  to  his  perplexities 
and  annoyances.  He  wished  to  turn  more  of  the  prisoners 
into  soldiers,  and  Gordon,  having  extracted  a  promise  that 
they  should  be  well  treated,  allowed  this  —  to  discover  that 
five  of  the  men  were  beheaded. 

What  troubled  him  still  more  was  the  fact  that  Governor 
Li-Hung-Chang  misunderstood  him  as  completely  as  the 
rest.  He  could  not  believe  in  the  disinterestedness  of  the 
brave  Englishman  with  whom  he  had  to  deal.  Afterwards 
he  knew  the  man,  and  loved  and  honored  him  for  his  worth 


SUCCESSES  AND    TRIALS  43 

and  true  nobility  of  mind  and  character ;  but  at  present  he 
seemed  to  suspect  that  it  was  for  his  own  ends  that  he  wished 
to  secure  the  payment  of  the  men.  And  he  kept  back 
suppUes,  and  even  broke  his  promise. 

Altogether,  though  he  was  sorry  on  many  accounts, 
Charles  Gordon  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  well 
for  him  to  heed  the  advice  of  his  friends  at  home,  and  resign 
his  commission  and  position  in  China.  So  he  went  to 
Shanghai  for  the  purpose. 

But  he  did  not  throw  up  his  commission  after  all  ;  for 
when  he  reached  Shanghai  he  heard  tidings  that  roused  all 
his  feelings  of  courage  and  chivalry,  and  sent  him  back  to 
his  post  of  danger  and  responsibility  with  greater  resolution 
than  ever. 


I 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   REBEL  BURGEYINE. 

"  Men  were  deceivers  ever; 

One  foot  on  sea,  and  one  on  shore. 
To  one  thing  constant  never." 

—  Much  Ado  About  Nothing. 

THE  news  which  caused  Charles  Gordon  to  alter  his 
course  and  remain  at  his  post  concerned  the  man  who, 
with  Ward,  had  first  originated,  and  then  been  dismissed 
from,  the  Ever-Victorious  Army.  Biu-gevine  had  been 
hoping  again  to  become  the  commander ;  but  finding  that 
this  was  by  no  means  the  wish  of  the  authorities,  he  became 
jealous  and  reckless,  aiad  eventually  tried  to  get  together  an 
army  of  his  own.  He  then  entered  into  communication 
with  the  Tai-pings,  and  sought  to  propitiate  those  against 
whom  he  had  formerly  fought.  At  the  time  when  Gordon 
reached  Shanghai,  he  had  contrived,  by  the  help  of  a  man 
named  Jones,  the  renegade  master  of  the  war-ship  Kiao- 
Chiao,  to  seize  and  ap[>ropriate  the  vessel.  The  steamer 
belonged  to  the  Chinese  ;  but  Burgevine  manned  it  with 
desperate  fellows  from  different  parts  of  the  world,  and 
actually  steamed  up  to  Soochow. 

Gordon   hearing  of  this  returned  to   Quinsan.     He  felt 


THE  REBEL  BURGEVINE.  45 

that  so  far  from  giving  up  now,  duty  called  him  to  be  more 
energetic  and  devoted  than  ever.  It  was  feared  on  all 
hands  that  Burgevine  might  seduce  some  of  Gordon's  men 
to  his  side.  He  had,  by  his  unscrupulous  way  of  rewarding 
them  when  he  was  with  them  before,  made  himself  popular 
with  the  men.  He  offered  the  rebels  who  enlisted  with  him 
plenty  of  pay,  and  "  license  to  sack  every  town  they  took, 
including  Shanghai  "  ;  and  it  would  have  been  little  wonder 
if  Gordon's  men,  angry  at  being  thwarted  and  kept  out  of 
their  money,  had  mutinied.  It  was  a  very  anxious  time ; 
but  Gordon  was  watchful  and  prompt.  He  had  to  person- 
ally superintend  the  defence  of  both  Quinsan  and  Kahpoo. 
He  had  to  repulse  several  attacks,  which  were  made  with 
firm  resistance  and  determination.  He  was  also  in  a  very 
isolated  and  dangerous  position ;  but  his  courage  and  his 
trust  in  God  did  not  fail.  People  were  urging  him  to  make 
an  attack  on  Soochow  \  but  he  thought  it  would  be  rash  to 
do  so,  and  he  felt  that  so  many  lives  were  entrusted  to  his 
care  that  he  would  have  to  exercise  the  utmost  caution. 
He  Avrote  :  — 

"  We  have,  by  the  capture  of  Wokong,  very  seriously 
affected  the  rebels  ;  and  if  I  can  carry  out  my  plan  of  taking 
Woosieh,  and  thus  surrounding  Soochow,  I  do  not  think  it 
will  be  necessary  to  attack  that  place,  but  think  they  will 
leave.  Burgevine  is  a  very  foolish  man,  and  little  thinks  the 
immense  misery  he  will  cause  this  unhappy  country ;  for  of 
the  ultimate  suppression  of  the  rebellion  I  have  little  doubt, 
as  it  is  a  government  receiving  revenues  contending  with  a 
faction  almost  blockaded,  and  drawing  on  exhaustible  funds. 
The  Imperialists  are  not  likely  to  feel  any  great  liking  for 
foreigners,  after  the  way  they  have  been  treated  by  them.  I 
am  thinking  of  attacking  a  fortified  post  of  the  rebels  at 
Ping  Wang,  which  threatens  the  city  of  Wokong,  in  a  few 


46  GENERAL    GORDON. 

days ;  and  from  which  they  have  lately  been  making  raids 
into  the  Imperialists'  territory." 

It  was  felt  by  all  who  knew  the  true  state  of  affairs  that 
General  Gordon  and  his  force  were  in  the  greatest  possible 
peril.  General  Brown  sent  to  the  Secretary  of  War  to  tell 
him  that  Gordon's  men  had  formerly  been  in  the  pay  of 
Ward,  and  that  Burgevine  had  already  been  joined  by  some 
of  Gordon's  officers.  It  was  quite  possible  that  the  guns 
belonging  to  the  British  Government  might  get  into  the 
hands  of  the  rebels  through  the  treachery  of  some  dis- 
affected men,  and  then  General  Brown  himself  and  his 
station  at  Shanghai  would  be  endangered.  He  decided  to 
visit  Gordon  ;  and  when  he  saw  the  efficient  state  of  his  gar- 
rison, he  was  more  assured.  The  Imperialists  soon  joined 
the  Ever-Victorious  Army ;  and  Gordon  was  at  least  better 
protected  than  he  had  been  before. 

At  that  time  he  had  a  remarkable  escape.  There  were 
some  stockades  at  Patachow  which  Gordon  decided  to  at- 
tack. The  Patachow  Bridge  was  three  hundred  yards  long, 
and  had  fifty-three  arches.  Twenty-six  of  the  arches  fell 
"  like  a  pack  of  cards,"  and  two  men  were  killed.  Ten 
others  would  have  been,  but  that,  hearing  the  noise,  they 
ran.  Gordon  had  removed  one  archway  to  let  a  steamer 
pass  through  ;  and  this  probably  weakened  the  whole  struct- 
ure. He  said  he  regretted  it  immensely,  as  it  was  unique 
and  very  old  ;  in  fact,  a  thing  to  come  many  miles  to  see. 
General  Gordon  was  one  evening  sitting  on  the  parapet  of 
the  bridge,  smoking  a  cigar,  when  the  stone  on  which  he  sat 
was  struck  by  two  shots.  He  went  to  see  what  had  been  the 
meaning  of  the  shots,  and  had  not  proceeded  far  before  the 
part  of  the  bridge  on  which  he  had  been  sitting  gave  way, 
and  went  splashing  into  the  water.  Was  not  this  another 
proof  that  God  took  care  of  our  hero  ? 


THE   REBEL  B  URGE  VINE.  47 

He  was  preserved  on  another  occasion,  when  his  Hfe 
might  have  been  taken  by  treachery.  Some  of  the  Euro- 
peans who  had  joined  the  rebels  sent  to  him  to  say  that  they 
were  dissatisfied  with  their  position  at  Soochow,  and  wished 
him  to  meet  Burgevine  and  hold  a  consultation  with  him. 
Gordon  recognized  the  danger,  but  he  did  not  hesitate.  He 
talked  matters  over  with  Burgevine,  who  told  him  that  he 
and  his  men  had  resolved  to  leave  the  Tai-pings  ;  but  they 
would  recjuire  some  guarantee  from  the  Imperialists  that 
they  would  not  be  punished.  Gordon  gave  the  promise, 
and  offered  to  take  some  of  the  men  into  his  service. 

But  at  the  next  interview  Burgevine  had  a  proposal  to 
make  to  Gordon.  He  confessed  to  him  that  his  great  de- 
sire was  to  found  an  empire  of  his  own  in  China ;  and  he 
invited  Gordon  to  join  him  in  the  enterprise.  He  said  that 
together  they  could  take  Soochow,  and  turning  out  Imperi- 
ahsts  and  rebels  alike,  appropriate  the  treasure  in  Soochow, 
and  proceed  to  raise  an  army  and  march  on  Pekin.  But  he 
found  that  he  had  gready  mistaken  his  man,  for  Gordon,  by 
no  means  allured,  treated  the  proposal  as  it  deserved. 

Burgevine,  however,  had  not  ceased  to  treat  with  Gordon. 
He  sent  secretly  to  tell  him  that  he  and  his  gang  intended 
to  desert  and  throw  themselves  upon  his  protection.  They 
asked  Gordon  to  send  up  from  his  signal  lines  a  rocket,  on 
which  they  would  board  the  Hyson,  as  if  to  capture  the 
steamer.  It  was  carried  out  as  they  wished  ;  and  so  much 
in  earnest  did  they  appear,  that  a  host  of  rebels  rushed  to 
their  assistance.  The  Hyson,  however,  steamed  away,  and 
carried  the  deserters  to  a  place  of  safety.  There  were 
thirty-six  of  them,  but  Burgevine  was  not  among  them  ;  he 
and  other  Europeans,  having  been  suspected  by  the  rebel 
chief,  were  retained.  The  deserters  were  very  glad  to  find 
themselves  with  Gordon,  who  wrote  the  following  letter  to  the 


48  GENERAL    GORDO X. 

principal  Wangs  of  Soochow,  in  order  to  get  them  to  release 
the  Europeans  :  — 

"Stockades,  Patachow,  i6th  October,  1863. 
"  To  their  Excellencies  Chung  Wang  and  Moh  Wang. 

"  Your  Excellencies  :  You  must  be  already  aware  that  I 
have,  on  all  occasions  where  it  lay  in  my  power,  been  merci- 
ful to  your  soldiers  when  taken  prisoners  ;  and  not  only 
been  so  myself,  but  have  used  every  endeavor  to  prevent 
the  Imperial  authorities  from  practising  any  inhumanity. 
Ask  for  the  truth  of  this  statement  any  of  the  men  who 
were  taken  at  Wokong,  and  who,  some  of  them,  must  have 
returned  to  Soochow,  as  I  placed  no  restriction  on  them 
whatever. 

"  Having  stated  the  above,  I  now  ask  your  Excellencies 
to  consider  the  case  of  the  Europeans  in  your  service.  In 
every  army  each  soldier  must  be  actuated  with  faithful  feel- 
ings to  fight  well.  A  man  made  to  fight  against  his  will  is 
not  only  a  bad  soldier,  but  he  is  a  positive  danger,  causing 
anxiety  to  his  leaders,  and  absorbing  a  large  force  to  pre- 
vent his  defection.  If  there  are  very  many  Europeans  in 
Soochow,  I  would  ask  your  Excellencies  if  it  does  not  seem 
to  you  much  better  to  let  there  men  quietly  leave  your  ser- 
vice if  they  wish  it :  you  would  thereby  get  rid  of  a  con- 
tinual source  of  suspicion,  gain  the  sympathy  of  the  whole 
foreign  nations,  and  feel  that  your  difficulties  are  all  from 
without.  Your  Excellencies  may  think  that  decapitation 
would  soon  settle  the  matter,  but  you  would  then  be  guilty 
of  a  crime  which  will  bear  its  fruits  sooner  or  later.  In  this 
force  officers  and  men  come  and  go  at  pleasure,  and 
although  it  is  inconvenient  at  times,  I  am  never  apprehen- 
sive of  treason  from  within.  Your  Excellencies  may  rely 
on  what  I  say,  that  should  you  behead  the  Europeans  who 


THE  REBEL   SURGE  VINE.  49 

are  with  you,  or  retain  them  against  their  free  will,  you  will 
eventually  regret  it.  The  men  have  committed  no  crime, 
and  they  have  done  you  good  ser/ice,  and  what  they  have 
tried  to  do  by  escape  is  nothing  more  than  any  man,  or 
even  animal,  will  do  when  placed  in  a  situation  he  does  not 
like. 

"  The  men  could  have  done  you  great  harm,  as  you  wiL 
no  doubt  allow,  and  I  consider  that  your  Excellencies  have 
reaped  great  benefit  from  their  assistance.  As  far  as  I  am 
personally  concerned,  it  is  a  matter  of  indifference  whether 
the  men  stay  or  leave  :  but  as  a  man  who  wishes  to  save 
these  unfortunate  men,  I  intercede. 

"  Your  Excellencies  may  depend  you  will  not  suffer  by 
letting  these  men  go.  You  need  not  fear  their  communicat- 
ing information.  I  knew  your  force,  men  and  guns,  long 
ago,  and  therefore  cannot  get  that  information  from  them. 
If  my  entreaties  are  unavailing  for  these  men,  of  yourself 
send  down  the  wounded,  and  perform  an  action  never  to  be 
regretted.  I  write  the  above  with  my  own  hand,  as  I  do  not 
wish  to  entrust  the  matter  to  a  linguist,  and  trusting  you  will 
accede  to  my  request.  —  I  conclude,  your  Excellencies'  obe- 
dient servant, 

"  C.  G.  Gordon,  Major  Commanding:'' 

It  will  be  seen  from  this  letter  how  very  fearful  Gordon 
was  that  Burgevine  would  be  decapitated ;  so  he  sent  the 
letter  and  some  presents  to  Moh  Wang  at  once,  and  all  the 
Enfields  that  the  deserters  had  brought  in.  Moh  Wang 
replied  that  the  Europeans  need  not  have  left,  for  they  were 
free  to  come  or  go  as  they  pleased  :  but  they  had  not  only 
ran  away,  but  had  taken  gun-boats,  horses,  and  arms  with 
them.  Gordon  replied  that  he  had  returned  all  they  had 
brought.     Moh  Wang  asked  the  messenger  why  the  Euro- 


50  GENERAL    GORDON. 

peans  had  ran  away,  and  was  told  that  it  was  because 
they  felt  sure  Gordon  would  ultimately  win  and  the  rebels  be 
defeated. 

"  Do  you  think  that  Gordon  will  take  the  city?"  inquired 
Moh  Wang. 

The  messenger  promptly  answered,  '•  Yes." 

"  Would  it  be  possible  for  us  to  buy  Gordon  over  on  our 
side?" 

"  Indeed,  no  ;  it  would  be  quite  impossible." 

Gordon  said  in  one  of  his  letters,  written  at  this  time  :  — 
"  This  defection  of  the  Europeans  is  an  almost  extinguishing 
blow  to  the  rebels  ;  and  from  the  tone  of  Moh  Wang's  letter, 
so  different  from  the  one  he  wrote  to  General  Staveley  a  little 
time  ago,  I  feel  convinced  that  the  rebel  chiefs  would  come 
to  terms  if  they  had  fair  ones  offered  them.  I  mean  to  do 
my  best  to  bring  these  about ;  and  I  am  sure  that  if  I  do  so, 
I  shall  gain  a  greater  victory  than  any  captures  of  cities  would 
be." 

Owing  to  Gordon's  intervention,  the  rebel  Burgevine  was 
not  killed.  That  he  was  scarcely  worth  saving  was  abun- 
dantly proved  afterward.  He  had  actually,  while  offering  to 
surrender,  been  planning  with  his  lieutenant,  Jones,  to  entrap 
Gordon.  But  Jones  was  not  so  base  as  to  yield  to  his  wishes, 
although  his  refusal  filled  Burgevine  with  murderous  desires 
towards  Jones.  On  one  occasion  he  fired  upon  the  lieuten- 
ant ;  and  it  was  this  that  caused  Jones  and  the  rest  to  desert 
him.  Jones  thus  described  the  affair,  which  occurred  when 
Burgevine  had  been  drinking  :  — 

"  At  noon  I  went  to  Burgevine,  who  was  lying  asleep  on 
a  32-pounder  gun-boat,  and  asked  him  whether  I  should  as- 
sist him  to  get  ashore,  as  many  of  our  officers  and  men  were 
making  remarks  on  the  condition  he  was  in.  On  his  de- 
manding the  names  of  those  who  had  made  the  remarks,  I 


THE  REBEL   B  URGE  VINE.  51 

declined  giving  them,  and  shortly  afterwards  again  attempted 
to  remonstrate  with  him  in  company  with  another  officer. 
On  my  again  declining  to  give  up  names,  Burgevine  drew 
out  his  four-barrelled  pistol,  which  he  cocked  and  discharged 
at  my  head  from  a  distance  of  about  nine  inches.  The  bul- 
let entered  my  cheek,  and  passed  upwards.  It  has  not  yet 
been  extracted.  I  exclaimed,  '  You  have  shot  your  best 
friend  ! '  His  answer  was,  '  I  know  I  have,  and  I  wish  to 
God  I  had  killed  you.'  " 

Burgevine  wrote  to  a  local  paper  confirming  the  truth  of 
this  statement :  — 

*•'  Captain  Jones's  account  of  the  affair  is  substantially  cor- 
rect ;  and  I  feel  great  pleasure  in  bearing  testimony  to  his 
veracity  and  candor  whenever  any  affair  with  which  he  is 
personally  acquainted  is  concerned." 

Gordon  succeeded  in  saving  the  life  of  the  man  who 
wanted  to  rob  him  of  his  own.  He  said  afterAvards,  "  I  am 
afraid  he  is  a  rascal,  but  I  acted  to  the  best  of  my  judg- 
ment." 

Moh  Wang  sent  him  away  in  safety,  and  he  was  delivered 
to  the  care  of  the  American  consul.  No  proceedings  were 
instituted  against  him,  in  accordance  with  Gordon's  request 
that  he  should  be  allowed  to  leave  the  country. 

The  foreigners  whose  escape  had  been  made  by  means  of 
the  Hyson  drew  up  a  document  expressing  their  gratitude  to 
General  Gordon,  and  they  gave  before  the  United  States  con- 
sul a  full  account  of  the  plot  in  which  Burgevine  was  impli- 
cated, and  the  counter-plot  in  which  they  engaged  to  thwart 
him. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


IN   THE   THICK   OF   THE    FIGHT. 


"What  do  you  think  of  me?" 

"As  of  a  man  faithful  and  honorable." 

—  Hamlet. 

IN  the  meantime  General  Gordon  had  plenty  of  work  be- 
fore him.     Mr.  Andrew  Wilson  in  his  interesting  book, 
Colonel  Gordon's  Chinese  Campaign.,  says  :  — 

"  In  almost  all  these  engagements  Colonel  Gordon  was 
very  much  exposed,  for  he  foimd  it  necessary,  or  at  least 
expedient,  to  be  constantly  in  the  front,  and  often  to  lead 
in  person.  Though  brave  men,  the  officers  of  his  force 
would  sometimes  hang  back,  and  their  commander  had 
occasionally  to  take  one  of  them  by  the  arm  and  lead  him 
into  the  thick  of  the  fire.  He  himself  seemed  to  bear  a 
charmed  life,  and  never  carried  any  arms,  even  when  fore- 
most in  the  breach.  His  only  weapon  on  these  occasions 
was  a  small  cane,  with  which  he  used  to  direct  his  troops ; 
and  in  the  Chinese  imagination  this  cane  soon  became  mag- 
nified into 

'Gordon's  Magic  Wand  of  Victory.' 

His  celestial  followers,  finding  that  he  was  almost  invariably 
victorious,  and  escaping  unhurt,  though  more  exposed  than 


IN   THE    THICK   OF   THE  FIGHT.  53 

any  other  man  in  the  force,  naturally  concluded,  in  accord- 
ance with  their  usual  ideas,  that  the  little  wand  he  carried 
ensured  protection  and  success  to  its  owner.  Every  one 
who  knows  the  Chinese  character  will  be  aware  that  such 
an  idea  must  have  given  great  encouragement  to  the  Ever- 
Victorious  Army,  and  was  of  more  service  to  its  commander 
tlian  could  have  been  any  amount  of  arms  which  he  himself 
could  possibly  have  carried." 

Gordon  would  no  doubt  have  been  glad  if  to  his  wand 
had  been  given  the  power  with  which  it  was  credited  ;  and 
if,  besides  winning  him  victory,  it  could  have  warded  off 
disease,  and  protected  him  from  trouble. 

The  weather  became  very  hot,  and  his  men  fell  sick  of 
fever  and  other  ailments,  so  that  it  was  necessary  to  remove 
the  troops  from  Quinsan,  and  they  were  taken  to  a  place  six 
miles  from  Soochow,  called  Wai  Quaidong. 

A  constant  source  of  irritation  and  trouble  to  Gordon  was 
found  in  General  Ching.  Although  he  was  supposed  to  act 
in  concert  with  Gordon,  he  much  more  frequently  acted 
entirely  on  his  own  responsibility,  leaving  his  supposed  col- 
league altogether  in  the  dark  as  to  his  intentions  and  move- 
ments. Indeed  there  can  be  little  doubt  but  that  again  and 
again  the  Chinese  general  endeavored  to  thwart  the  Englisli- 
man,  although  they  were  both  understood  to  be  fighting 
in  the  same  cause.  This,  of  course,  added  greatly  to  the 
burden  already  laid  upon  Gordon. 

"Shall  I  ever  take  Soochow?"  was  the  question  that  fre- 
quently presented  itself  to  him,  and  sometimes  his  hope 
grew  faint  within  him.  His  friends  thought  that  the  odds 
were  so  much  against  him  that  he  would  never  succeed. 
He  had  very  little  encouragement  from  the  Imperialist  Gov- 
ernment, in  whose  cause  he  was  risking  his  life  ;  and,  indeed; 
he  had  little  cheer  from  any  side. 


54  GENERAL    GORDON. 

The  following  letter  describes  better  than  any  other  words 
could  do  the  engagements  that  followed  those  already  re- 
lated :  — 

"  You  will  remember  my  having  mentioned  the  fact  of 
the  Europeans  and  Burgevine  having  come  over  from  the 
rebels.  Since  then  the  following  have  been  our  movements  : 
we  started  for  the  Fifty-three  Arched  Bridge  —  alas  !  now 
only  twenty-seven  arched  —  Patachow,  and  made  a  great 
detour  of  the  lakes  of  Kahpoo,  to  throw  the  rebels  off  the 
scent,  ^^'e  left  at  two  p.m.,  and  although  the  place,  Wulung- 
chiao,  which  I  wanted  to  attack,  was  only  a  mile  and  a  half 
to  the  west  of  Patachow,  I  made  a  detour  of  thirty  miles 
to  confuse  them,  on  a  side  they  were  not  prepared  for. 
It  turned  out  wet ;  and  the  night  of  the  23d  of  October 
was  miserable  enough,  cooped  up  in  boats  as  we  were. 
However,  it  cleared  a  little  before  dawn.  About  seven 
A.M.  we  came  on  the  stockades.  I  had  asked  the  Imjieri- 
alists  under  General  Ching  to  delay  their  attack  from  Pata- 
chow till  I  had  become  well  engaged  ;  but,  as  usual,  Gen- 
eral Ching  must  needs  begin  at  half-past  five  a.m.,  and  he 
got  a  good  dressing  from  the  rebels,  and  was  forced  to  re- 
tire. His  loss  was  nineteen  killed  and  sixty-seven  wounded, 
while  the  Taho  gun-boat  admiral,  who  had  abetted  him  in 
his  tom-fooling,  lost  thirty  killed  and  wounded.  We  lost 
none ;  three  were  slightly  bruised.  The  chief  head  of 
Soochow,  Moh  Wang,  knew  we  were  out,  but  had  no  idea 
of  our  going  to  Wulungchaio.  He  is  greatly  angered,  and 
in  addition  to  this  has  had  trouble  with  his  brother  Wangs, 
who  reproach  him  for  having  tnisted  the  Europeans,  and 
for  neglecting  them.  Eleven  out  of  twenty-seven  Wangs 
refused  to  go  out  and  fight.  Yesterday  afternoon  a  Euro- 
pean left  Soochow  and  came  over.  I  had  met  him  before, 
and  consider  that  he  had  acted  in  a  very  brave  manner  in 


IN   THE    THICK   OF  THE  FIGHT.  55 

remaining  in  Soochow,  He  says  Moh  Wang  does  not 
understand  our  movements,  and  is  very  much  put  out  at  the 
loss  of  this  place.  They  tried  to  take  it  back  again  on  the 
twenty-fifth  at  dusk,  but  got  defeated." 

After  this  there  was  an  expedition  sent  to  drive  the  rebels 
from  Wokong.  They  had  been  driven  out  once,  but  suc- 
ceeded in  coming  back  again,  and  establishing  tliemselves 
in  almost  the  same  position  which  they  had  previously  occu- 
pied. Gordon  won  another  signal  victory  by  making  use  of 
the  steamer,  which  compelled  them  to  retire  by  a  narrow 
road  on  the  bank  of  the  Grand  Canal.  Thev  were  obliged  to 
remain  on  this  road,  as  there  were  many  large  creeks  spanned 
only  by  high  narrow  bridges.  The  steamer  kept  a  fire  on  the 
rebels  the  whole  time,  and  as  only  two  could  go  over  the 
bridges  abreast,  of  course  it  took  a  long  time  for  them  to 
pass.  From  3000  to  4000  got  away;  but  1300  prisoners 
were  taken,  and  one  Wang  was  among  them.  Gordon,  in 
his  account  of  it,  said  —  "  The  value  of  the  victory  is  that 
we  now  have  no  fear  for  our  rear,  and  I  believe  that  the 
rebels  in  the  silk  districts  seriously  think  of  giving  in.  In  the 
meantime,  I  am  preparing  an  attack  on  the  north  of  the  city, 
which  will  take  place  about  the  ist  of  November." 

Leeku  was  the  next  place  to  be  attacked. 

While  Gordon  was  considering  the  method  which  it  would 
be  best  to  adopt,  he  found  a  letter  written  by  one  of  his 
officers  to  a  friend  of  the  rebels,  in  which  the  writer,  Captain 
Perry,  informed  his  correspondent  of  the  intended  move- 
ments of  the  Ever-Victorious  Army.  Gordon  was  rather 
angry,  as  he  well  might  be. 

"  Captain  Perry,"  he  said,  when  the  delinquent  was  before 
him,  "what  is  the  meaning  of  this?  " 

"  It  seems  to  be  a  letter  of  mine." 

"  Did  you  write  it  ?  " 


56  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  Yes,  certainly." 

"  But  do  you  know  the  harm  that  such  a  communication 
might  do?  If  this  information  were  carried  to  the  Tai-pings, 
as  it  well  might,  and  probably  would  be,  do  you  not  see  how 
they  might  act  upon  it?  " 

"  I  certainly  did  not  intend  to  do  harm  ;  my  only  idea 
was  to  convey  a  little  piece  of  gossip.  I  thought  the  facts 
were  of  no  importance." 

Gordon  looked  upon  the  matter  more  seriously.  "  Such 
an  act  might  have  had  grave  consequences,"  he  said  ;  "  but 
I  shall  pass  over  your  fault  this  time,  on  condition  that  in 
order  to  show  your  loyalty  you  undertake  to  lead  the  next 
forlorn  hope." 

His  loyalty  was  proved  by  his  death  shortly  after.  Gordon 
had  forgotten  his  own  remark,  until  Perry  was  fighting  by  his 
side,  and  was  struck  down  by  a  ball.  Gordon  caught  his 
comrade  in  his  arms,  and  he  died  there. 

It  was  at  Leeku  that  Captain  Perry  was  killed.  To  help 
Gordon  in  his  endeavor  to  capture  this  town,  15,000  of  the 
Imperialist  forces  joined  him.  The  place  was, carried  with 
a  rush,  and  Gordon  captured  their  gun-boats,  forty  other 
boats,  and  sixty  prisoners. 

Soochow  was  already  doomed.  Gordon  wrote  on  the  3d 
of  November  :  — 

"  We,  yesterday,  after  a  hard  fight,  took  all  the  stockades 
up  to  the  walls  along  the  east  face  of  the  city,  and  last  night 
four  Wangs  came  in  to  negotiate  a  surrender.  I  think  that 
this  is  likely,  and  the  heaviest  part  of  our  fighting  is  over. 
The  rebels  are  having  great  trouble  among  themselves,  and 
have  to  pay  largely  for  food." 

Wanti  still  remained  to  be  attacked.  When  that  place 
had  surrendered,  Soochow  would  be  almost  completely 
invested.     Already  nearly  all  the  roads  and  waterways  lead- 


IN   THE    THICK  OF  THE  FIGHT.  57 

ing  to  it  were  closed,  and  the  outposts  occupied  by  Imperi- 
alist forces.  Wanti  was  very  strongly  fortified ;  but  they 
managed  to  surround  the  place  and  take  it  in  less  than 
an  hour.  The  rebels  lost  all  courage  as  soon  as  Gordon 
approached,  and  they  began  to  leave  in  large  numbers  at 
once.  Yet  some  of  them  fought  bravely,  and  Gordon  took 
six  hundred  prisoners. 

One  man,  Lai-Wang,  who  was  in  charge  of  some  stockades, 
volunteered  to  desert  the  rebels  and  join  Gordon,  bringing 
with  him  his  20,000  men  ;  but  he  was  killed,  and  so  pre- 
vented from  carrying  out  his  intentions.  Gordon  hoped 
that  dissensions  within  the  city  of  Soochow,  and  scarcity 
of  rice,  would  hasten  its  surrender.  He  resolved  to  make 
the  attack  at  Monding,  on  the  Grand  Canal. 

Gordon  was  now  ready  to  commence  the  great  work  of 
taking  Soochow.  He  was  determined  that  before  November 
passed  something  more  should  have  been  accomplished.  He 
knew  that  he  had  to  contend  with  overwhelming  forces.  In 
Soochow  and  its  suburbs  the  Tai-ping  forces  numbered 
40,000  men,  while  38,000  more  were  not  far  away.  Gordon 
had  under  his  own  command  only  between  3000  and  4000. 
General  Ching  had  command  of  25,000  Imperialists. 

Gordon  had  received  some  information  respecting  tlie 
enemy  which  encouraged  him.  Chung  Wang,  the  Faithful 
King,  was  in  difficulties.  He  must  be  exceedingly  wary  in 
his  movements,  or  Nanking  and  Hangchow  would  be  lost  to 
him.  If  Nanking  were  once  out  of  the  rebels'  hands  the 
rebellion  would  certainly  be  doomed.  The  city  was  be- 
sieged, and  the  works  around  the  Kaiachiao  had  been 
evacuated.  That  which  took  the  strength  from  the  arm 
of  the  Faithful  King  filled  the  leader  of  the  Ever- Victorious 
Army  with  hope  ;  and  he  thought  the  time  had  now  come 
to  make  the  attack. 


5S  GENERAL    GORDON. 

His  first  effort  resulted  in  failure.  He  tried  one  night  to 
take  an  inner  line  of  the  outer  defences,  and  was  defeated. 

It  was  soon  after  midnight,  when  Gordon,  accompanied 
l^y  Majors  Howard  and  Williams,  made  the  attempt.  All 
were  dressed  in  white  turbans,  so  as  to  be  seen  by  each 
other  in  the  dark.  Gordon  ordered  his  men  to  wait  for  a 
given  signal  before  they  came  on.  Everything  appeared 
quiet,  and  the  men  who  were  with  Gordon  were  working  at 
a  stockade,  when  a  tremendous  fire  of  grape  and  musketry 
was  opened  upon  them  from  the  Tai-pings.  Gordon  held  on 
with  his  usual  gallantry,  but  those  who  came  after  him  were 
obliged  to  retire.  Moh  Wang,  who  was  in  the  front  stockade, 
fought  with  great  bravery.  He  had  on  neither  shoes  nor 
stockings  ;  and  he  and  twenty  Europeans,  who  were  with 
him,  fought  like  lions.  The  rebels,  though  they  won  a  vic- 
tory, had  very  great  losses. 

Meanwhile  the  Wangs  in  Soochow  were  divided  in  opinion. 
Some  of  them  wished  to  come  over  to  the  Imperialists,  and 
some  would  not  listen  to  such  a  proposal.  Moh  Wang  was 
especially  indignant  with  all  who  thougiit  of  it.  So  some 
of  the  Wangs  proposed  that  Gordon  should  again  attack  the 
east  gate  ;  and  they  promised  that  when  he  did  so,  they 
would  sliut  Moh  Wang  out  of  the  city,  and  take  affairs  into 
their  own  hands.  Gordon,  therefore,  brought  his  guns  to 
bear  upon  the  stockades,  which  he  soon  laid  in  ruins.  He 
had  only  a  few  men  with  him  ;  but  he  pressed  forward, 
pushed  through  the  stockades,  and  seized  a  fort.  He  thus 
gained  a  victory,  but  not  without  severe  loss  of  valuable  men 
and  lives. 

On  the  30th  of  November,  1863,  Gordon  issued  the  fol- 
lowing general  order  :  — 

"  The  commanding  officer  congratulates  the  officers  and 
the  men  of  the  force  on  their  gallant  conduct  of  yesterday. 


IN   THE    THICK   OF   THE  FIGHT.  59 

The  tenacity  of  the  enemy,  and  the  great  strength  of  their 
position,  have  unfortunately  caused  many  casualties,  and 
the  loss  of  very  valuable  officers  and  men.  The  enemy, 
however,  has  now  felt  our  strength,  and,  although  fully 
prepared  and  animated  by  the  presence  of  their  most  popular 
chiefs,  have  been  driven  out  of  their  position,  which  sur- 
passes in  strength  any  yet  taken  from  them.  The  loss  of 
the  whole  stockades  on  the  east  side  of  the  city,  up  to  the 
walls,  has  already  had  its  effect,  and  dissension  is  now  rife 
in  the  garrison,  who,  hemmed  in  on  all  sides,  are  already, 
in  fact,  negotiating  defection.  The  commanding  officer  feels 
most  deeply  for  the  heavy  loss,  but  is  convinced  that  the 
same  will  not  be  experienced  again.  The  possession  of  the 
position  of  yesterday  renders  the  occupation  of  the  city  by 
the  rebels  untenable,  and  thus,  victualling  the  city  is  lost  to 
them." 

The  Wangs  who  wished  to  surrender  arranged  to  have  an 
interview  with  Gordon,  and  he  met  them  accordingly.  They 
told  him  if  he  would  attack  the  city  they  would  not  assist  in 
its  defence,  on  condition  that  he  on  his  side  wouki  engage 
to  protect  them  from  the  anger  of  the  Imperialists.  The 
Nar  Wang  asked  Gordon  to  carry  the  city  by  assault,  but 
was  told  that  in  that  case  no  one  would  be  able  to  protect 
it  from  being  sacked  and  burnt.  He  advised  the  Wangs  to 
give  over  one  of  the  gates  and  thus  prove  their  sincerity ; 
adding  that  if  they  would  not  do  that,  they  must  either  leave 
the  city  or  settle  the  matter  in  battle. 

They  agreed  to  hand  over  a  gate,  and  while  General 
Ching  was  settling  the  terms  of  the  capitulation,  Gordon 
went  to  have  an  interview  with  Li-Hung-Chang  in  order  to 
get  the  safety  of  the  prisoners  secured. 

The  rebel  chiefs  were  very  brave  men,  and  perhaps  the 
bravest  of  all  was  Moh  Wang.     He  would  not  consent  to 


60  GENERAL    GORDON. 

surrender.  He  had  an  idea  that  some  parleying  was  going 
on,  and  he  called  six  other  Wangs  together  that  he  might 
confer  with  them.  The  conference  was  conducted  with  con- 
siderable ceremonial.  Moh  Wang  was  seated  on  a  dais  in 
the  reception  hall,  and  began  to  discuss  the  state  of  the 
city,  of  which  he  was  the  commander.  Four  of  the  Wangs 
proposed  capitulation, 

"  No  surrender  !  "  said  the  brave  Moh  Wang. 

"  But  we  shall  be  overcome,  and  then  it  will  be  the  worse 
for  us,"  urged  the  rest. 

"  No  surrender  !  "  replied  Moh  Wang. 

"  I,  too,  would  say  the  same  if  we  had  any  chance  of  suc- 
cess. But  there  is  no  hope.  We  are  completely  surrounded 
by  the  foreign  devils,  and  our  only  chance  is  in  capitulation." 

"  No  surrender  !  " 

"We  shall  all  be  killed,  and  our  cause  will  come  to  an 
ignominious  end  if  we  stubbornly  hold  out  now.  But  it  is 
possible  to  make  terms  with  Gordon.  He  is  an  honorable 
man.     He  will  ensure  our  safety." 

"  No  surrender  !  " 

"  But  if  we  yield  now  we  shall  live  to  fight  again  ;  if  we 
are  killed,  of  what  avail  will  it  be  that  we  have  stood  out 
against  all  odds?" 

*'  No  surrender  !  "  again  cried  Moh  Wang. 

Kong  Wang,  in  his  great  anger,  threw  off  his  robes,  and 
drew  out  a  dagger.     "  Will  you  yiekl  now?  " 

"  No  surrender  !  " 

The  brave  Wang  was  stabbed  nine  times  —  stabbed  until 
he  died. 

Then  Kong  Wang  called  on  the  others  to  assist  him,  and 
they  carried  the  faithful  W^ang  from  the  reception  hall  into 
the  outer  court,  and  there  cut  his  head  from  his  body. 

Gordon  had  felt  the  greatest  respect  for  Moh  Wang.     He 


IN   THE    THICK   OF   THE  FIGHT.  61 

knew  that  in  similar  circumstances  he  would  have  behaved 
in  precisely  the  same  manner.  In  his  negotiations  with 
Li-Hung-Chang  he  had  laid  great  stress  upon  his  good 
character,  and  Governor  Li  had  given  him  a  pledge  that 
Moh  Wang's  life  should  be  spared.  Gordon  was  exceed- 
ingly grieved  to  hear  when  he  came  back  that  the  brave 
Wang  needed  his  services  no  longer. ' 

Now  that  he  was  dead,  no  one  else  was  determined 
enough  to  hold  out.  Very  litde  time  was  lost ;  for  on  that 
night  Soochow  surrendered,  and  the  Ever- Victorious  Army, 
with  its  intrepid  leader,  saw  the  success  which  they  had  for 
so  long  been  desiring. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

AFTER  THE  SURRENDER  OF  SOOCHOW. 

"  My  honor  is  my  life;    both  grow  in  one; 
Take  honor  from  me,  and  my  life  is  done." 

—  Richard  II. 

CHARLES  GORDON  was  desirous,  above  all  things, 
that  the  rebels  who  had  surrendered  should  be  treated 
according  to  British  ideas  of  honor  and  humanity ;  and 
the  Wangs  who  knew  him  had  every  confidence  that  the 
captain  of  the  Ever- Victorious  Army  would  have  influence 
enough  to  see  that  his  wishes  were  carried  into  effect.  But 
Gordon  was  only  one  man,  and  he  was  crippled  and  thwarted 
in  many  ways.  He  was  especially  anxious  that  two  things 
should  be  guaranteed  :  that  there  should  be  no  looting  of 
the  evacuated  city,  and  no  punishment  of  the  Wangs. 

In  regard  to  the  former  he  did  all  that  he  could.  So  far 
as  his  own  men  were  concerned,  he  was  determined  to  keep 
them  from  ]jlunder.  So  he  sent  to  Li  Futai  (Li-Hung- 
Chang)  to  ask  that  officers  and  men  should  at  once  receive, 
as  a  reward  for  their  gallant  services  and  their  obedience  in 
abstaining  from  plunder,  and  also  as  an  incentive  to  future 
efforts,  two  months'  extra  pay.  It  seemed  a  reasonable 
request,  and  that  the  men  should  be  satisfied  with  it  proves 
Gordon  to  have  had  considerable  power  over  them. 


AFTER    THE   SURRENDER   OF  SOOCHOW.  63 

But  to  this  appeal  General  Ching  brought  a  denial ;  pro- 
posing instead  a  gift  of  one  month's  pay. 

The  men  were  disgusted.  They  talked  of  mutiny,  and 
loud  threats  were  issued  that  they  would  rush  into  Soochow, 
and  pay  themselves  in  the  way  which  they  liked  best  —  by 
plunder. 

But  Gordon  was  prompt  to  oppose  this ;  and  in  order  to 
prevent  it  he  issued  his  orders  and  marched  the  men  back 
to  their  quarters  at  Quinsan. 

Knowing  that  they  were  safe  there  for  the  time  being,  he 
went  to  Soochow  to  see  that  his  Chinese  comrades  were 
treating  those  who  were  at  their  mercy  with  courtesy,  or  at 
all  events  with  humanity.  He  had  understood  that  when 
Soochow  was  given  into  the  power  of  the  Imperialists  no 
lives  should  be  taken,  and  especially  that  pardon  should  be 
given  to  the  Wangs  through  whose  instrumentality  the  city 
had  capitulated.  Ching,  who  was  in  Soochow,  informed 
him  that  Li  had  given  orders  for  the  Wangs  to  come  before 
him  the  next  day,  and  formally  give  up  into  his  hands  the 
keys  of  the  gates  of  the  city ;  but  that  the  Futai  had  prom- 
ised to  be  merciful  to  all. 

So  far  from  this  being  the  case,  the  Futai  most  treacher- 
ously had  the  six  Wangs  beheaded. 

There  were  many  accounts  of  the  event,  the  Chinese  try- 
ing to  make  their  own  story  good,  and  others  telling  stories 
of  different  kinds  ;  but  the  following  was  Charles  Gordon's 
own  statement.  He  wrote  a  clear  account  of  all  that  hap- 
pened, except  so  far  as  it  related  to  his  own  danger  and 
exposure,  from  the  28th  of  November  to  the  9th  of  Decem- 
ber. After  describing  the  conference  of  the  ^^'angs  in  the 
reception  hall  of  Moh  Wang's  palace,  and  the  assassination 
of  its  master,  he  says  :  — 

"  I   should   have    mentioned    that   Nar   Wang   had  told 


64  GENERAL    GORDON. 

General  Ching,  the  night  of  the  3d  of  December,  that  Chung 
Wang  had  assembled  the  chiefs  after  his  defeat  on  the  29th 
of  November,  and  had  proposed  to  them  to  vacate  Soochow 
and  Nanking,  and  return  to  the  south.  Moh  Wang  would 
not  accede  to  it,  as  he  hoped  to  hold  the  city,  and  had  all 
his  property  there.  The  other  Wangs,  knowing  of  the  nego- 
tiations, did  not  also  entertain  the  idea.  Another  reason  for 
Moh  Wang's  holding  out  was  that  his  father  and  mother 
were  hostages  at  Nanking  with  Tien  W^ang. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  5  th  of  December  there  was  some 
musketry  to  be  heard  in  the  city,  but  it  soon  ceased,  and 
General  Ching  advanced  some  of  his  men  to  the  east  gate, 
while  some  of  our  men  went  to  the  north  gate ;  but  I  soon 
withdrew  them,  as  I  knew  their  propensities,  and  I  then 
went  to  the  Futai  and  asked  him  to  give  the  men  two 
months'  pay,  and  let  the  force  push  on  to  Wusieh  and  Chan- 
chufu. 

"  He  objected,  although  the  troops  had  had  no  remune- 
ration for  any  of  the  places  that  had  fallen,  and  had  had 
very  hard  and  continuous  fighting.  I  told  him  I  could  not 
keep  them  in  hand  unless  he  assented,  and  gave  him  until 
three  o'clock  p.m.,  and  after  that  time  I  could  not  remain 
in  command.  I'his  was  a  hard  fact ;  but  both  officers  and 
men  were  of  the  same  mind,  and  I  had  no  option.  I  then 
went  into  the  city  and  passed  down  to  Nar  Wang's  house, 
and  there  met  all  the  Wangs.  I  asked  them  if  everything 
had  gone  on  properly,  and  if  they  were  content :  they  said 
'  Yes,'  and  appeared  quite  at  ease.  Their  troops  were  in  the 
streets,  and  everything  appeared  orderly.  I  then  went 
down  to  Moh  ^\'ang's  i)alace  and  tried  to  get  his  body 
buried,  but  the  peoi)le  would  not  touch  it.  I  then  went  out 
to  the  troops  who  were  under  arms,  and  soon  after  General 
Ching  came  in  on  the  part  of  the  Futai  to  arrange  terms. 


AFTER    THE   SURRENDER    OF  SOOCIIOIV.  65 

I  referred  him  to  the  ofificers  commanding  regiments,  but 
they  could  not  agree.  Ching  then  came  to  me,  and  begged 
me  to  try  and  get  the  force  to  accept  one  month's  pay. 
After  some  demur  I  determined  on  making  the  force  accept, 
as  night  was  coming  on,  and  I  was  afraid  of  the  troops 
within  making  an  attack  on  the  Futai,  as  also  on  the  rebels 
in  the  city. 

"I  therefore  assembled  them,  and  addressing  them,  I  let 
them  know  that  I  had  succeeded  in  obtaining  one  month's 
pay.  The  men  made  a  slight  disturbance,  which  was  quickly 
quelled,  and,  after  one  attempt  to  march  down  on  the  Futai, 
dismissed.  I  kept  a  guard  on  the  Futai's  boat  that  night, 
and  being  apprehensi\'e  of  further  trouble  if  the  troops 
remained,  I  marched  them  back  at  eight  o'clock  a.m.  on  the 
6th  of  December ;  and  anticipating  no  further  trouble  with 
the  men,  I  ordered  the  steamers  Tsatiee  and  Hyson  round  to 
Wuhlungchaio,  directing  my  chop  to  come  up  to  the  Pow 
Miin,  or  south  gate.  I  then  went  into  the  city  to  Nar 
Wang's  house,  reaching  it  at  half-past  eleven  o'clock,  a.m. 
I  had  heard  that  the  Wangs  had  to  go  out  to  the  Futai  at 
twelve  o'clock  noon,  and  that  then  the  city  would  be  given 
over.  I  should  mention  that  General  Ching  had  told  me 
on  the  afternoon  of  the  5  th  December  that  the  Futai  had 
written  to  Pekin  respecting  the  capture  of  Soochow,  and 
stating  that  he  had  amnestied  the  prisoners.  At  the  Nar 
Wang's  house  I  met  all  the  Wangs  with  their  horses  saddled 
to  leave  for  the  Futai.  I  took  Nar  Wang  aside,  and  asked 
him  if  everything  was  all  right.  He  said  '  Yes.'  I  then  told 
him  I  had  the  intention  of  going  to  the  Taho  Lake  to  look 
for  the  Fi?-efl.y.  He  said  he  was  coming  do\\Ti  to  see  me, 
and  would  like  to  stop  two  or  three  days.  I  said  unless  he 
thought  there  was  an  absolute  necessity,  the  business  I  was 
going   on  was   too    important  for   me  to   stop ;  but  if  he 


66  GENERAL    GORDON. 

thought  he  had  any  reason  for  wishing  me  to  stay  I  would  do 
so.  He  said  '  No,'  and  I  bade  him  and  the  other  Wangs 
good-bye ;  and  they  all  passed  me  a  few  minutes  afterwards, 
and  twenty  attendants,  going  towards  the  Low  Miin,  or  east 
gate,  on  their  way  to  the  Futai. 

"  I  went  into  Moh  Wang's  palace,  and  saw  General  Ching's 
men  come  down  to  bury  Moh  Wang's  body,  according  to  my 
request.  I  then  went  to  the  east  gate,  or  Low  Miin,  to  while 
away  the  time  until  the  steamers  got  round  to  Wuhlungchaio, 
intending  to  go  round  the  wall  to  the  Pow  Miin,  or  south  gate. 
Just  as  we  arrived  at  the  gate  I  saw  a  large  crowd  on  the  bank 
opposite  the  Futai's  boat,  and  soon  afterwards  a  large  force 
of  Lnperialists  came  into  the  city,  and  ran  off  to  the  right  and 
left  along  the  wall  and  into  the  city,  yelling  as  they  usually  do 
when  they  enter  a  vacated  stockade,  and  firing  off  their  mus- 
kets in  the  air.  I  remonstrated  with  the  Mandarins  and 
soldiers,  as  their  conduct  was  liable  to  frighten  the  rebels, 
who  might  retaliate  and  cause  a  row.  After  a  few  minutes 
General  Ching  came  in,  and  I  noticed  he  looked  disturbed. 
I  asked  him  eagerly  if  the  interview  was  over,  and  had  been 
satisfactory.  He  said  the  Wangs  had  never  come  to  the 
Futai.  I  said  I  had  seen  them  going,  and  asked  him  what 
could  have  become  of  them.  He  said  he  did  not  know,  but 
thought  they  might  have  run  away.  I  asked  him  what  could 
have  induced  them  to  do  so.  He  said  they  had  sent  out  to  the 
Futai  to  ask  him  to  keep  twenty  thousand  men,  and  to  have 
half  the  city,  building  a  wall  inside  ;  that  Nar  Wang  had  said 
before  that  he  wanted  only  two  thousand  five  hundred ;  and 
that  at  another  time  he  said  he  wanted  no  soldiers,  but  merely 
to  retire  home  ;  that  the  Futai  had  objected  to  his  demand, 
and  that  he  had  told  him  to  go  to  the  Teh  Miin  and  stockade 
his  men  outside  that  gate  ;  and  that  he  supposed  Nar  Wang 
had  taken  alarm  and  gone  off.     He  said  further  that  Nar 


AFTER    THE   SURRENDER    OF  SOOCHOW.  67 

Wang  had  sent  to  Chung  Wang  for  assistance.  I  asked  him 
if  he  thought  Nar  Wang  and  the  other  Wangs  had  gone  back 
to  the  rebels.  He  said,  No  ;  but  they  would  go  back  to  their 
own  homes,  and  live  there.  I  did  not  feel  very  well  satisfied, 
and  asked  Mr.  Macartney,  who  was  by,  to  go  to  Nar  Wang's 
and  see  if  he  was  there,  and  to  reassure  him  if  he  was  alarmed 
at  anything.  General  Ching  was  anxious  I  should  not  go  ; 
and  as  I  had  no  suspicion,  I  Avent  round  the  wall  with  him 
to  the  Pow  Miin,  which  we  reached  at  five  o'clock  v.^\. 

"  I  had  frequently  returned  to  the  question  of  Nar  Wang, 
but  found  that  both  General  Ching  and  my  interpreter  seemed 
to  evade  the  questions.  When  I  got  to  the  Pow  Miin,  I  told 
General  Ching  I  should  go  no  further,  as  I  felt  uncomfortable 
about  Nar  Wang,  and  also  heard  volleys  of  musketry  in  the 
city,  but  not  of  any  great  amount.  I  asked  General  Ching 
what  it  was.  He  said  there  were  some  Kwangzi  and  Canton 
men  who  would  not  shave,  and  they  were  driving  them  out 
ot  the  city,  having  left  tv\^o  gates  open  for  their  retreat,  but 
they  were  only  frightening  them  out.  General  Ching  then 
left,  and  I  asked  my  interpreter  what  he  thought  of  the  state 
of  affairs.  He  said  that  he  thought  the  Imperialists,  having 
got  the  city,  did  not  care  about  keeping  their  agreement.  I 
therefore  decided  on  riding  to  Nar  Wang's  house,  and  seeing 
him  if  possible.  I  rode  through  the  streets  with  my  inter- 
preter, which  were  full  of  rebels,  standing  to  their  arms,  and 
Imperialist  soldiers  looting.  I  went  to  Nar  ^^'ang's  palace, 
and  found  it  ransacked.  I  met  Nar  Wang's  uncle  (a  second 
in  command),  and  he  begged  me  to  come  to  his  house  and 
protect  it.  He  then  withdrew  the  female  household  of  Nar 
Wang,  and  accompanied  them  to  his  house,  where  there  were 
some  thousand  rebels,  under  amis,  in  a  barricaded  street.  It 
was  now  dark,  and  having  seen  the  state  of  affairs,  I  wished 
much  for  Nar  Wang's  uncle  to  let  my  interpreter  go,  taking 


68  GENERAL    GORDON. 

orders  for  the  steamers  to  come  round  and  take  the  Futai 
prisoner  (as  he,  the  interpreter,  thought  the  Futai  had  not 
yet  beheaded  the  Wangs),  and  also  an  order  to  bring  up  my 
force.  They,  unfortunately,  would  not  let  my  interpreter  go, 
and  I  remained  with  them  until  two  o'clock  a.m.  on  the 
seventh,  when  I  persuaded  them  to  let  him  go  and  procure 
assistance.  I  had  kept  several  bands  from  looting  the  house 
by  my  presence.  About  three  a.m.  one  of  the  men  who  had 
gone  out  with  the  interpreter  returned,  and  said  that  a  body 
of  the  Imperialists  had  seized  the  interpreter  and  wounded 
him.  I  was  now  apprehensive  of  a  general  massacre,  as  the 
man  made  me  understand  that  the  order  I  had  sent  had  been 
torn  up,  and  therefore  went  out  to  go  to  Pow  Miin  to  send 
by  my  boat  additional  orders,  and  also  to  look  for  the  inter- 
preter. I  found  no  traces  of  him  ;  and  proceeding  to  the 
Pow  Miin,  was  detained  an  hour  by  the  Imperialists.  It  was 
then  five  a.isl,  and  I  determined  on  proceeding  for  my  guard 
to  the  Low  Miin,  or  east  gate,  hoping  to  be  able  to  seize  the 
Futai,  and  to  get  back  in  time  to  save  the  house  of  Nar  Wang's 
uncle. 

"  I  got  to  the  Low  Miin  at  six  a.m.,  and  sent  on  my  guard 
to  the  house.  It  was,  however,  too  late.  It  had  l)een  ran- 
sacked. I  then  left  the  city  and  met  (icneral  Ching  at  the 
gate.  I  told  him  what  I  thought,  and  then  proceeded  to  the 
stockade  to  wait  the  steamers,  as  I  was  still  ignorant  that 
the  Wangs  had  been  beheaded.  I  thought  they  were  pris- 
oners, and  might  still  be  rescued  if  the  Futai  could  be 
secured.  When  awaiting  the  steamers,  General  Ching  sent 
down  Major  Bailey,  one  of  the  officers  I  had  sent  him  to 
command  his  artillery,  who  told  me  that  General  Ching  had 
gone  into  the  city,  and  sat  down  and  cried.  He  then,  to 
alleviate  his  grief,  shot  down  twenty  of  his  men  for  looting, 
and  sent  Major  Bailey  to  tell  me  he  had  nothing  to  do  with 


AFTER    THE   SURRENDER    OF  SOOCHOW.  69 

the  matter,  that  the  Futai  ordered  him  to  do  what  he  did, 
and  that  the  Futai  had  ordered  the  city  to  be  looted.  I 
asked  Major  Bailey  if  the  Wangs  had  been  beheaded.  He 
said  that  he  had  heard  so.  He  then  told  me  he  had  Nar 
Wang's  son  in  the  boat,  and  had  brought  him  to  me.  The 
son  came  up,  and  pointing  to  the  other  side,  said  that  his 
father  and  the  Wangs  had  been  beheaded.  Then  I  went 
over  and  found  six  bodies,  and  recognized  Nar  Wang's  head. 
The  hands  and  bodies  were  gashed  in  a  friglitful  way,  and 
cut  down  the  middle.  Nar  Wang's  body  was  partially 
buried.  I  took  Nar  Wang's  head,  and  just  then  the  steamers 
were  seen  coming  up.  The  Futai,  however,  received  some 
warning  that  I  had  left  for  Soochow  by  some  other  route. 
I  then  went  to  his  boat  and  left  him  a  note  in  English, 
informing  him  of  what  my  intention  had  been,  and  also  my 

opinion  of  his  treachery.     I  regret  to  say  that did  not 

think  fit  to  have  this  translated  to  him. 

"  The  two  steamers  then  left  for  Quinsan,  and  one  was 
sent  down  with  Prince  F.  de  Wittgenstein  to  inform  the 
General  of  the  state  of  affairs.  This  olficer  had  been  with 
the  force  nearly  a  month,  and  had  been  informed  in  detail 
by  me  of  the  whole  that  had  passed  as  above  related. 

"  On  the  8th  of  December  the  Futai  sent to  persuade 

me  that  he  could  not  have  done  otherwise  ;  and  I  blush  to 
think  that  he  could  have  got  an  Englishman  to  undertake  a 
mission  of  such  a  nature. 

"  C.  G.  Gordon,  Major  Commanding. 

"  1 2th  December,  1S63. 

"  P.S.  — To  continue.  On  the  8th  of  December  I  started 
with  an  escort  and  a  steamer  to  General  Ching's  stockade, 
to  obtain  Nar  Wang's  body  and  some  of  his  family  who  had 
been  retained  prisoners  in  General  Ching's  stockade.  These 
I  obtained,  and  also  the  body. 


70  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"General  BrowTi  arrived  on  the  afternoon  of  the  ninth, 
and  took  the  protection  of  the  force  under  his  command. 
I  had  already  spoken  to  the  officers,  and  got  them  to  agree 
to  leave  the  solution  to  the  British  general.  The  disgust  and 
abhorence  felt  by  all  of  them  was  and  is  so  great  as  to  lead 
me  to  fear  their  going  over  en  masse  to  the  rebels ;  but  I 
have  shown  them  that  the  sin  would  then  be  visited  on  the 
Chinese  people,  and  not  on  the  culprits  who  committed 
it.  The  rebels  have  no  government  at  all,  while  the  Im- 
perialists can  lay  claim  to  some. 

"C.  G.  Gordon." 

In  this  description  of  the  events  that  occurred,  Gordon 
does  not  lay  stress  upon  his  own  danger,  v/hich  was  certainly 
very  great ;  nor  does  he  adequately  express  the  indignation 
which  filled  him  in  regard  to  the  treacherous  murders  of  the 
rebel  kings,  and  the  iniquity  of  the  Imperialists  in  sacking 
the  city. 

He  speaks  of  having  gone  to  the  house  of  Nar  Wang's 
uncle,  but  does  not  say  that  when  he  did  so  he  was  at  once 
surrounded  by  thousands  of  armed  Tai-pings,  who  made 
him  their  prisoner.  It  seems  wonderful  that  they  did  not 
use  their  power,  and  first  torture  and  then  kill  him.  But 
the  Providence  that  has  ahvays  been  over  the  man  protected 
him,  and  he  was  kept  in  safety.  It  seems  strange,  too,  thai 
they  did  not  at  least  retain  him  as  their  prisoner,  but  they 
allowed  him  to  leave  when  he  asked  to  go,  that  he  might 
seek  for  his  interpreter,  who  had  been  wounded.  One  of 
the  most  bitter  trials  he  ever  had  to  endure  was  that  of 
finding  that  his  word  had  been  broken,  though  not  by 
himself,  and  the  lives  he  had  hoped  to  preserve  had  been 
sacrificed.  It  is  little  wonder  that  he  shed  tears  of  real 
sorrow.     The  Wangs  were  rebels ;  but  whatever  they  were, 


AFTER    THE   SURRENDER    OF  SOOCHOW.  71 

he  felt  that  they  ought  to  have  been  treated  with  honesty 
and  honor.  He  wanted  —  what  true  Enghshman  does  not  ? 
—  that  the  Chinese  and  all  other  people  should  have  a  high 
opinion  of  the  motives  that  guide  the  men  of  his  nation, 
and  those  with  whom  they  have  to  do  —  that  it  should  be 
known  that  they  will  keep  their  promises,  and  not  shirk 
their  responsibilities ;  and  we  may  be  sure  that  it  was  with  a 
sore  heart,  and  very  hurt  feelings,  that  the  hero  waited  Gen- 
eral Brown's  investigations. 

The  result  of  these  were  told  in  the  following  letter,  writ- 
ten by  General  Brown  to  Sir  Frederick  Bruce  and  Lord  de 
Grey :  — 

"  The  circumstances  attending  and  preceding  the  occu- 
pation of  Soochow  by  the  Imperialists  are  so  calculated  to 
produce  an  impression  on  public  opinion  unfavorable  to 
the  line  of  policy  adopted  by  Her  Majesty's  Government 
in  China,  that  I  trust  I  need  not  apologize  for  entreating 
your  most  earnest  consideration  of  the  whole  subject. 

"  I  received  the  first  intimation  of  events  passing  in 
Soochow  by  a  hurried  note  from  Major  Gordon,  which 
reached  me  during  the  forenoon  of  the  eighth  instant ;  a 
second  note,  which,  although  written  previously,  did  not 
reach  me  until  a  later  period,  produced  the  impression  that 
affairs  were  proceeding  favorably ;  consequently  I  was  so 
far  from  apprehending  the  gravity  of  the  crisis,  that  I 
decided  to  carry  out  my  intention  of  proceeding  to  Hong- 
kong by  the  mail  steamer,  and  was  on  board  when  Prince 
Wittgenstein,  despatched  by  Major  Gordon  in  the  steamer 
l^satlee,  brought  a  more  complete  and  detailed  narrative  of 
events. 

"The  additional  information  then  received  determined 
me  to  accede  to  the  urgent  entreaties  of  Major  Gordon,  of 
which  the  Prince  was  the  bearer,  to  proceed  to  Quinsan, 


72  GENERAL    GORDON. 

the  head-quarters  of  Major  Gordon's  force,  at  once.  I 
arrived  at  Quinsan  about  three  o'clock  p.i\i.  the  following 
day,  and  immediately  received  from  Major  Gordon  a  report 
which  differed  but  slightly  from  the  more  carefully  compiled 
narrative  enclosed.  Major  Gordon  has  been  unable  to 
express  in  writing  the  intense  indignation  and  disgust  with 
which  the  infamous  and  dastardly  conduct  of  the  Futai  had 
inspired  him. 

"  You  will  perceive  by  Major  Gordon's  narrative  that  he 
was  able  to  withdraw  his  force  from  before  Soochow  to 
Quinsan  only  under  the  formal  promise  from  the  Futai 
of  one  month's  pay  to  the  officers  and  soldiers,  and  that  it 
required  all  his  influence  to  prevail  on  them  to  accept  these 
terms.  The  subsequent  treachery  of  the  Imperial  authorities 
had,  however,  destroyed  the  confidence  of  all  ranks ;  their 
cruelties  had  turned  the  sympathies  of  Europeans  in  favor 
of  the  rebels ;  and  I  found  it  necessary,  in  order  to  restore 
discijDline,  and  to  avert  a  perhaps  total  defection  of  the 
men,  to  take  Major  Gordon  and  his  force  formally  under 
my  command. 

"  This  move  on  my  part,  I  am  happy  to  inform  your 
Excellency,  had  the  best  effect ;  all  ranks  now  express  their 
perfect  satisfaction  and  reliance,  and  every  symptom  of  hes- 
itation has  disappeared  from  the  force  under  Major  Gordon's 
command. 

"  I  considered  it  expedient  to  have  an  interview  with  the 
Futai,  with  the  view  of  hearing  any  explanatory  statement  he 
might  have  to  offer,  and  to  communicate  to  him  my  views 
on  recent  events,  and  explain  the  future  relations  between 
himself  and  Major  Gordon. 

"  I  therefore  despatched  the  interpreter  to  the  consulate 
(Mr.  Mayers),  accompanied  by  two  of  my  officers,  to  con- 
vey to  him  my  desire  for  an  interview. 


AFTER  THE   SURRENDER    OF  SOOCHOJF.  73 

"  Having  thus  prepared  the  way,  I  proceeded  the  follow- 
ing day  to  Soochow,  but  was  met  at  Ching's  stockade  by  the 
Futai,  who  had  come  out  from  the  city  to  meet  me. 

"  I  speedily  ascertained  that,  though  the  Futai  was  pre- 
pared to  take  on  himself  the  whole  responsibility  of  murder 
of  the  Wangs  and  sacking  of  the  city,  and  fully  to  exonerate 
Major  Gordon  from  all  blame,  he  was  either  unable  or  un- 
willing to  offer  any  exculpation  or  explanation  of  his  con- 
duct, and  it  only  remained  for  me  to  express  my  opinion 
and  future  intentions. 

"  This  I  did  in  as  few  words  as  possible.  I  expressed 
the  indignation  and  grief  with  which  the  English  people, 
together  with  all  civilized  nations  of  the  world,  would 
regard  his  cruelty  and  perfidy.  I  expressed  to  him  my 
views  on  the  impolicy  of  a  fruitless  severity,  which  paralyzed 
his  friends,  and  drove  the  rebels  to  desperation,  at  the  time 
when  we  had  good  reason  to  believe  they  were  prepared  to 
capitulate,  and  return  to  their  homes  in  peace. 

"  I  then  informed  him  that  I  should  insist  on  the  prom- 
ised reward  of  one  month's  pay  ;  that  I  deemed  it  my  duty 
to  refer  the  whole  matter  to  our  Minister  at  Pekin ;  and 
that,  pending  such  reference,  Major  Gordon  had  received 
instructions  from  me  to  suspend  all  active  aid  to  the  Impe- 
rialist cause  further  than  protecting  Soochow,  knowing  its 
importance  to  the  safety  of  Shanghai,  and  warning  the 
rebels  to  abstain  from  attacking  his  positions.  I  concluded 
by  expressing  my  unhesitating  conviction  that,  after  what 
had  occurred,  my  Government  would  withdraw  all  assistance 
hitherto  afforded  to  the  Imperial  cause,  recall  Major  Gordon 
and  all  English  subjects  serving  under  him,  and  disband  the 
Anglo-Chinese  force." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

GORDON  AGAIN  TAKES  THE  FIELD. 

"  In  the  reproof  of  chance 
Lies  the  true  proof  of  man." 

—  Troihis  and  Cressida. 

"  He's  truly  valiant  tliat  can  wisely  suffer." 

—  Timon  of  Athens. 

CHARLES  GORDON'S  feelings  of  indignation  had  been 
thoroughly  aroused ;  yet,  when  the  warmth  and  ex- 
citement had  a  little  died  away,  the  question  presented  itself 
once  more,  "  What  is  my  duty  ?  "  He  thought  more  of  the 
future  than  of  the  past,  as  he  always  has  done,  and  does  still. 
It  did  not  occur  to  him  to  magnify  his  deeds  or  his  suffer- 
ings ;  he  had  tried  to  do  his  best,  and  act  with  prompt  de- 
cision, and  a  measure  of  success  had  attended  his  endeavors. 
That  contented  him,  and  he  did  not  care  who  had  the  praise 
and  the  rewards,  so  that  he  had  done  the  work. 

In  point  of  fact.  Governor  Li  had  most  of  the  honor.  He 
certainly  mentioned  Gordon  favorably  in  his  despatches,  but 
he  did  not  acknowledge  the  truth,  that  it  was  the  English- 
man's valor  that,  more  than  anything  beside,  had  crushed  the 
rebellion ;  for  crushed  it  was  to  all  intents  and  puri)oses, 
although  a  k^s  towns  were  still  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels. 
Li  very  naturally  sought  to  impress  his  Emperor  and  the  peo- 
ple of  his  nation  with  a  due  sense  of  his  own  exploits ;  and 
he  praised  General  Ching  also  for  that  which  he  had  accom- 
plished.     Still  the  truth   remained   that  neither  Li-Hung- 


GORDON  AGAIN   TAKES    THE  FIELD.  75 

Chang  nor  General  Ching  could  have  done  very  much  toward 
stamping  out  the  rebellion  but  for  the  heroism  of  the  gallant 
Gordon. 

The  Emperor  felt  that  he  must  be  rewarded  ;  and  accord- 
ingly he  sent  through  Governor  Li  a  medal  of  the  highest 
distinction,  and  a  present  of  10,000  taels. 

And  now  the  illustrious  Englishman  showed  of  what  stuff 
he  was  made. 

He  gladly  accepted  the  money  that  had  been  sent  for  the 
assistance  of  his  wounded  men,  and  the  reward  which  had 
been  well  earned  by,  and  was  forwarded  for,  his  troops ;  but 
for  himself  he  would  take  nothing. 

With  the  true  dignity  of  an  English  gentleman  he  returned 
this  letter  to  the  Emperor  of  China  :  — 

"  Major  Gordon  receives  the  approbation  of  His  Majesty 
the  Emperor  with  every  gratification,  but  regrets  most  sin- 
cerely that,  owing  to  the  circumstances  which  occurred  since 
the  capture  of  Soochow,  he  is  unable  to  receive  any  mark  of 
His  Majesty  the  Emperor's  recognition,  and  therefore  re- 
spectfully begs  His  Majesty  to  receive  his  thanks  for  his  in- 
tended kindness,  and  to  allow  him  to  decline  the  same." 

This  must,  more  than  a  little,  have  astonished  both  the 
Emperor  and  his  friends. 

Writing  home  later,  Gordon  said  that  he  did  not  want 
either  uTOney  or  honors.  He  had  the  consciousness  that  he 
had  done  good,  and  that  was  enough  for  him.  The  appro- 
bation of  his  own  conscience,  and  the  hope  of  the  Master's 
"Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,"  were,  indeed,  more 
than  sufficient  for  Charles  Gordon. 

'•'But  —  what  next?" 

This  was  the  question  that  was  pressing  upon  him.  Must 
he  really  give  up  the  work  of  repressing  the  rebellion, 
although  he  had  ever  believed  it  to  be  a  noble  and  important 


76  GENERAL    GORDON. 

one,  while  yet  it  had  not  been  completed  ?  Or  should  he 
hope  the  best  of  Li-Hung-Chang,  and  work  with  him  once 
more  ? 

It  was  in  accordance  with  Gordon's  whole  life  and  char- 
acter that  he  decided  to  do  the  latter. 

He  came  to  see  that  even  as  regarded  the  slaughter  of 
the  Wangs  there  were  some  extenuating  circumstances, 
which  in  the  first  heat  of  the  occurrence  he  was  unable  to 
admit  or  to  see.  He  had  looked  upon  it  from  an  English- 
man's point  of  view ;  but.  of  course,  there  was  the  Chinese 
side  also  —  and  when  he  tried  the  "  Put-yourself-in-his- 
place "  plan,  he  saw  that  the  deed,  horrible  as  it  must 
always  appear  to  him,  was  not  such  an  unmitigated  crime  in 
Chinese  estimation.  It  was  open  to  him  to  dismiss  his 
army,  but  if  he  did,  almost  certainly  many  of  them  would 
join  the  ranks  of  the  rebels ;  and,  perhaps,  in  time  all  that 
he  had  done  would  have  to  be  done  over  again.  That  so 
many  lives  should  have  been  sacrificed  for  nothing  was  too 
dreadful.  It  would  be  better  that  he  had  never  led  the 
Victorious  Army  to  any  success  than  that  it  should  cease  its 
efforts  before  the  end  had  been  accomplished. 

But  could  he  lay  aside  his  own  personal  opinions,  and 
again  work  with  the  Futai  ? 

Yes ;  he  could  do  that  or  anything  else  when  once  con- 
vinced that  it  was  right.  He  was  a  Christian,  and,  therefore, 
he  must  not  keep  up  any  feeling  of  resentment.  And  he 
knew  who  had  said,  "  Vengeance  is  Mine  ;  I  will  repay  !  " 

His  mind  was  soon  made  up  ;  and  he  communicated  the 
result  in  a  letter  to  Sir  Frederick  Bruce,  in  which  he  said, 
that  seeing  the  danger  which  might  arise  from  inaction,  since 
his  men  were  idle,  he  had  arranged  with  the  Futai  to  issue  a 
proclamation,  declaring  that  he  had  been  in  nowise  to  blame 
for  the   execution  of  the  \\^angs  ;  and  that  when  this  was 


GORDON  AGAIN   TAKES    THE  FIELD.  77 

done  he  would  again  take  up  his  former  position  in  the 
Ever- Victorious  Army.  He  felt  this  to  be  the  more  desirable, 
because  he  knew  that  Burgevine  intended  to  rejoin  the  rebels  ; 
that  the  Futai  was  more  willing  to  act  with  him,  notwith- 
standing all  that  had  occurred,  than  with  any  other  British 
officer ;  and  that  if  he  (Gordon)  did  not  act,  a  less  worthy 
man  might  be  told  off  to  the  post.  Under  these  circum- 
stances, although  he  confessed  that  it  was  not  an  easy  task, 
he  decided  to  go  back  to  his  post. 

"  I  am  aware,"  he  wrote,  "  that  I  am  open  to  very  grave 
censure  for  the  course  I  am  about  to  pursue  ;  but  in  the 
absence  of  advice,  and  knowing  as  I  do  that  the  Pekin 
authorities  will  support  the  Futai  in  what  is  done,  I  have 
made  up  my  mind  to  run  the  risk.  If  I  followed  my  own 
desire,  I  should  leave  now,  as  I  have  escaped  unscathed  and 
been  wonderfully  successful.  But  the  rabble  called  the 
Quinsan  force  is  a  dangerous  body,  and  it  will  be  my  duty  to 
see  that  it  is  dissolved  as  quietly  as  possible,  and  that  while 
in  course  of  dissolution  it  should  serve  to  benefit  the 
Imperial  Government.  I  do  not  apprehend  the  rebellion 
will  last  six  months  longer  if  I  take  the  field.  It  may  take 
six  years  if  I  leave,  and  the  Government  does  not  support 
the  Imperialists.  I  propose  to  cut  through  the  heart  of  the 
rebellion,  and  to  divide  it  into  two  parts  by  the  capture  of 
Yesing  and  Liyang."  He  adds,  "  If  the  course  I  am  about 
to  pursue  meets  your  approbation  I  shall  be  glad  to  hear ; 
but  if  not,  shall  expect  to  be  well  rebuked.  However,  I 
know  that  I  am  not  actuated  by  personal  considerations,  but 
merely  as  I  think  will  be  most  conducive  to  the  interests  of 
our  Government." 

In  the  proclamation  which  is  referred  to  in  this  letter,  the 
Futai  sought  to  justify  himself.  He  declared  that  although 
his  intentions  were    apparently  at  variance  with    those   of 


78  GENERAL    GORDON. 

General  Gordon,  they  were  in  reality  identical ;  that  he 
acted  without  consulting  Gordon  because  fresh  complica- 
tions had  arisen,  which  hesitation  or  delay  might  have  made 
fatal ;  that  not  only  was  no  sign  of  contrition  visible  among 
the  Wangs,  but  that  they  made  demands  which  were  in 
themselves  the  proof  that  they  wished  and  intended  to 
return  to  a  state  of  rebellion  when  the  first  opportunity 
occurred ;  and  that  he  believed  that  the  death  of  these  few 
bandits  was  not  only  a  necessity,  but  would  have  most  salu- 
tary results.  He  ended  by  saying  that  General  Gordon  had 
nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the  matter ;  but  that  the  occur- 
rences which  made  the  execution  necessary  happened  after 
Gordon  had  left ;  that  he  was  not  an  eye-witness  of  what 
took  place  on  the  spot,  and  that  he  had  been  misled  by 
rumors.  "  He  was  impressed  with  the  conviction  that,  the 
terms  of  surrender  having  been  agreed  to,  the  subsequent 
execution  of  the  individuals  was  a  breach  of  the  convention 
entered  into ;  but  he  was  totally  unaware  of  the  pressing 
urgency  and  extreme  danger  of  the  consequences  involved, 
which  left  not  an  instant  for  delay,  and  which  led  the  Futai 
to  inflict  at  once  the  penalty  prescribed  by  military  law." 

Whatever  others  may  have  thought  of  the  wisdom  of 
Gordon's  decision,  he  had  the  comfort  of  knowing  that  Sir 
Frederick  Bruce  approved. 

"  My  concurrence,"  wrote  Sir  Frederick,  "  in  the  step  you 
have  taken,  is  founded  in  no  small  measure  of  my  knowledge 
of  the  high  motives  which  have  guided  you  while  in  com- 
mand of  the  Chinese  force,  of  the  disinterested  conduct  you 
have  observed  in  pecuniary  questions,  and  of  the  influence 
in  favor  of  humanity  you  exercised  in  rescuing  Burgevine 
and  his  misguided  associates  from  Soochow.  I  am  aware  of 
the  perseverance  with  which,  in  the  face  of  serious  obstacles 
and  much  discouragement,  you  have  steadily  pursued  the 
pacification  of  the  province  of  Kiang-soo,  in  relieving  it  from 


GORDON  AGAIN   TAKES    THE  FIELD.  79 

being  the  battlefield  of  the  insurrection,  and  in  restoring  to 
its  suffering  inhabitants  the  enjoyments  of  their  homes,  and 
the  uninterrupted  exercise  of  their  industry ;  and  you  may 
console  yourself  with  the  assurance  that  you  are  rendering 
a  service  to  true  humanity  as  well  as  to  great  material 
interests.  It  would  be  a  serious  calamity,  and  addition  to 
our  embarrassments  in  China,  were  you  compelled  to  leave 
your  work  incomplete,  and  were  a  sudden  dissolution  or  dis- 
persion of  the  Chinese  force  to  lead  to  the  recurrence  of  that 
state  of  danger  and  anxiety  from  which,  during  the  last  two 
years,  Shanghai  has  suffered.  I  approve  of  your  not  await- 
ing the  result  of  the  inquiry  of  the  Futai's  proceedings 
at  Soochow,  provided  you  take  care  that  your  efforts  in 
favor  of  humanity  are  not  in  future  defeated  by  Chinese 
authorities." 

In  a  subsequent  letter,  Sir  Frederick  Bruce  said  that  he 
had  obtained  a  promise  from  the  Emperor  that  when  foreign 
officers  were  employed  by  him,  the  customs  of  foreign 
nations  should  be  observed  ;  and  he  reminded  Gordon  that 
if  henceforth  it  should  be  impossible  for  the  scenes  of  Soo- 
chow to  be  re-enacted,  he  (Gordon)  would  indeed  be  the 
protector  of  the  Chinese.  He  said,  too,  that  although  the 
action  of  the  Futai  was  abhorrent  to  our  ideas,  it  was  not  a 
gross  or  deliberate  act  of  treachery,  if  the  excuses  urged  by 
Li  were  true. 

And  so  Gordon  entered  the  field  again ;  and  this  time 
under  difficulties  even  greater  than  those  with  which  he 
previously  had  to  contend.  He  had  to  win  several  towns 
from  the  lawless  men  who  held  them ;  and  he  could  no 
longer  be  supplied  from  adjacent  loyal  towns.  He  set  forth 
on  his  expedition  in  the  face  of  great  obstacles.  The 
weather  was  stormy ;  snow  and  hail  were  falling  when  he 
started ;  and  these  might  have  been  taken  as  symbolic 
prophecies  of  the  kind  of  experience  that  awaited  him.     But 


80  GENERAL    GORDON. 

he  was  nerved  afresh  with  courage  and  endurance.  He 
could  scarcely  meet  with  greater  sorrows  and  troubles  than 
those  through  which  he  had  already  passed ;  and  he  still 
trusted  in  God,  and  was  sure  that  He  would  not  forsake  him. 

Almost  all  his  friends  would  rather  that  he  had  not  taken 
the  field  with  Li-Hung-Chang ;  but  he  could  not  see  how  it 
was  to  be  avoided,  and  he  went  forward  once  more  to  duty, 
and  perhaps  to  death. 

A  tedious  march  was  before  him  and  his  men,  from  Quin- 
san  to  Woosieh,  and  it  was  made  all  the  more  irksome  be- 
cause they  had  to  carry  their  supplies  with  them.  When 
they  reached  Woosieh  they  went  on  to  Yesing,  finding  every- 
where marks  of  the  destructive  operations  of  the  Tai-pings. 
A  village  outside  Yesing  was  just  taken  ;  and  Yesing  itself, 
after  some  little  fighting,  surrendered.  From  thence  Gordon 
went  to  Tajowka,  news  having  reached  him  that  the  rebels  in 
the  garrison  wanted  to  surrender,  but  that  their  captain  was 
resolved  not  to  yield.  Tajowka,  with  its  captain,  was  soon 
brought  to  accept  Gordon's  terms.  Liyang  came  next. 
The  people  there  were  in  such  a  wretched  state  that  they 
were  only  too  glad  to  come  out  into  something  better.  They 
shut  one  of  their  gates  on  the  commandant,  who  would  liked 
to  have  fought  Gordon,  and  so  rendered  him  unable  to  offer 
resistance. 

Kintang  was  the  next  place  which  Gordon  attacked  ;  and 
there  the  brave  leader  of  the  valorous  army  was  wounded. 

The  fight  was  a  very  desperate  one.  Wherever  the  victo- 
rious army  made  a  breach,  the  rebels  crowded  to  the  spot, 
and  drove  them  back  with  stones  and  bricks,  and  anything 
that  could  be  found. 

In  the  midst  of  the  battle  news  came  that  the  rebels 
had  beaten  the  Imperialists  at  Fushan,  and  were  besieging 
Chanzu ;  but  Gordon  felt  that  he  must  go  on  with  his  attack 
on  Kintang. 


GORDON  AGAIN  TAKES  THE  FIELD.  81 

Suddenly   there    arose    a   cry  — "  The     Commander    is 

WOUNDED  !  " 

Gordon,  who  had  been  looking  white  and  faint,  flushed 
with  anger  at  this,  and  ordered  the  man  to  be  silent. 

The  commander  remained  at  his  post,  with  the  blood 
streaming  from  a  wound.  He  was  urged  to  retire,  but 
he  would  not  leave  until  Dr.  Moffit  compelled  him  to  do  scr. 

Every  one  was  grieved  that  the  brave  man  was  at  last  laid 
low.  It  was  ascertained,  however,  that  the  wound  need  not 
be  serious,  if  only  the  wounded  man  would  keep  quiet.  Dr. 
Moffit  said  that  everything  depended  upon  that,  and  he 
urged  him  to  think  now  more  of  himself  than  of  anything 
beside. 

Sir  Frederick  Bruce  wrote  him  a  letter  to  the  same  effect, 
telling  him  that  he  must  be  cautious,  not  on  account  of  the 
force,  but  on  his  own  account.  "  I  beg  you,"  said  Sir 
Frederick,  "  not  to  look  upon  your  position  from  a  military 
point  of  view ;  you  have  done  quite  enough  for  your  repu- 
tation as  a  gallant  and  skilful  leader.  We  all  look  to  you 
as  the  only  person  fit  to  act  with  these  perverse  Chinese, 
and  to  be  trusted  with  the  great  interests  at  stake  at 
Shanghai.  Your  life  and  ability  to  keep  the  field  are  more 
important  than  the  capture  of  any  city  in  China." 

These  kind  words  must  have  been  of  great  comfort  to 
Charles  Gordon. 

The  Emperor  of  China,  who  had  received  a  report  from 
Li-Hung-Chang  to  the  effect  that  General  Gordon  was 
wounded,  issued  a  proclamation,  in  which  he  said  he  was 
deeply  moved  with  grief  and  admiration.  He  ordered  Li  to 
visit  Gordon  every  day,  and  keep  him  well  informed  of 
events,  that  his  mind  might  be  at  rest ;  and  he  also  ordered 
the  Governor  to  "  request  him  to  wait  until  he  should  be 
perfectly  restored  to  health  and  strength  before  attempting 
anything  more." 


CHAPTER   X. 

THE    DISBANDING   OF   THE    EVER-VICTORIOUS   ARMY. 

"  Of  all  said  yet,  may'st  thou  prove  prosperous. 
Of  all  said  yet,  I  wish  thee  happiness." 

—  Pericles. 

FORTUNATELY  Gordon's  wound  was  not  a  very 
serious  one,  but  he  could  not  spare  himself  time  to  be 
sufficiently  recovered  before  he  was  again  in  action.  News 
came  that  the  Faithful  King  was  back  in  Fushan,  and  Gordon 
felt  that  he  must  at  once  start  for  Woosieh.  He  left  the 
principal  part  of  his  men  at  Kintang,  and  took  to  assist  him 
a  number  of  the  rebels  who  had  but  lately  joined  his  forces. 

Chung  Wang's  son  was  now  leading  an  army  of  Tai-pings, 
and  Gordon  reached  a  position  from  which  he  could  cut  off 
his  retreat.  He  found  everywhere  awful  proofs  of  the 
devastation  and  misery  caused  by  the  rebels.  It  is  sicken- 
ing to  read  of  burnt  villages,  and  starving  people,  so  reduced 
that  they  actually  ate  each  other.  There  may  have  been 
some  good  even  in  the  rebels,  but  they  certainly  wrought 
immense  havoc  among  the  poor  people  of  the  province. 
They  left  the  inhabitants  of  the  villages  through  which  they 
passed  to  die  of  starvation. 

Gordon's  march  was,  as  usual,  rapid  and  decisive.     He 


DISBANDING    OF  THE  ARMY.  83 

took  very  little  time  to  do  that  which  he  attempted.  But 
even  the  Ever- Victorious  Army  was  sometimes  defeated. 
On  the  31st  of  March  some  of  his  officers  and  men,  who 
were  travelling  by  land  without  their  leader — Gordon  hav- 
ing taken  part  of  his  force  by  water  —  were  surprised  by  an 
immense  host  of  Tai-pings.  The  Liyangs  were  panic-stricken 
and  overwhelmed,  and  compelled  to  flee  before  the  rebels ; 
losing  four  hundred  men  —  three  captains  among  them. 
\\'hen  Gordon  arrived  he  was  compelled  to  retreat,  and 
great  confusion  prevailed. 

Gordon  was  obliged  to  make  up  his  numbers  and  get  his 
troops  into  working  condition  ;  and  when  this  was  done,  he 
was  supported  by  Li-Hung-Chang  and  a  large  body  of 
Imperialists.  The  Governor  told  him  that  his  colleague, 
General  Ching,  was  shot.  When  Gordon  heard  the  news 
he  forgot  how  frequently  Ching  had  annoyed  and  thwarted 
him,  and  remembered  only  his  good  qualities.  The  two  had 
been  comrades  in  many  a  terrible  undertaking ;  and  gener- 
ally Ching  had  seconded  Gordon's  endeavors  with  all  possi- 
ble courage.  He  may  have  been  jealous  of  the  foreigner, 
who,  at  the  head  of  the  Ever- Victorious  Army,  had  become 
so  illustrious  and  influential ;  but  under  all,  there  had  been 
so  much  that  was  noble  in  the  man  that  Gordon  could  only 
receive  the  tidings  of  his  death,  as  Wilson  says  he  did,  with 
tears  of  real  sorrow  and  regret. 

Gordon's  next  step  was  to  advance  on  Waissoo,  He  was 
well  assisted  by  the  Imperial  troops,  who  were  placed  in  such 
positions  as  would  enable  them  to  prevent  the  retreat  of  the 
rebels,  and  to  make  simultaneous  attacks.  He  employed 
considerable  strategy  at  Waissoo,  and  his  manoeuvre  was 
completely  successful.  The  rebels  endeavored  to  get  away 
by  the  bridges  which  had  been  broken,  and  hosts  of  them 
were  slain.     The  villagers,  urged  by  revenge  for  the  cruelties 


84  GENERAL    GORDON. 

that  had  been  practised  upon  them  by  the  Tai-pings,  who 
had  stolen  their  property  and  burnt  their  homes,  turned  out 
in  pursuing  crowds  to  chase  their  enemies  to  destruction. 

Chanchu-fu  was  the  next  city  to  fall,  and  it  was  not  taken 
without  considerable  difiQculty.  It  had  been  for  some  time 
unsuccessfully  besieged  by  the  Imperialists ;  but  the  place 
was  full  of  rebels  of  the  most  determined  character,  and  they 
were  bent  on  holding  it,  if  possible,  at  any  cost.  Gordon 
proposed  at  once  to  invest  the  city  ;  and  while  this  was 
being  done  he  had  another  remarkable  escape. 

Wilson  says,  that  perhaps  some  of  the  men  wished  to  dis- 
cover whether  Gordon  had  really  a  charmed  life.  A  battery 
was  being  constructed  by  some  men  of  the  Imperialist  army, 
a  strong  picket  supporting  them,  and  a  covering  party  being 
stationed  in  the  rear.  Gordon  and  Major  Tapp  were  super- 
intending, when  suddenly  the  pickets  fired  into  the  battery. 
The  Tai-pings  at  the  same  time  fired  into  the  battery  also  ; 
and  Gordon  and  his  helpers  found  themselves  fired  upon  on 
all  hands,  not  only  by  the  rebels  but  by  the  Imperiahsts.  It 
is  a  wonder  that  all  were  not  killed.  Several  men  were  ;  and 
among  them  Major  Tapp,  a  brave  and  energetic  man,  whose 
life  could  ill  be  spared. 

There  were  several  ineffectual  attempts  to  conquer  the 
rebels  in  Chanchu-fu  before  it  was  accomplished.  First,  Li- 
Hung-Chang  tried  to  take  the  city  with  his  own  soldiers,  with 
very  disastrous  results.  Next,  Li  asked  Gordon  to  make  the 
attempt,  assisted  by  the  Imperialists ;  but  when  the  time 
came  the  Imperialists  were  not  there,  and  Gordon  and  his 
men,  fighting  alone,  had  to  retreat.  Then  a  united  move- 
ment was  agreed  upon  ;  but  the  rebels  were  so  numerous, 
and  so  persistent,  that  although  many  were  killed,  the  num- 
ber did  not  appear  to  grow  less.  In  this  engagement  the 
officers  led  the  way,  but  the  men  refused  to  follow.     Ten 


DISBANDING    OF  THE  ARMY.  85 

officers  were  killed,  and  nineteen  wounded,  when  the  retreat 
was  called. 

After  that  another  plan  was  adopted.  Gordon  gave  the 
Mandarins  some  lessons  in  trench-making  ;  and  Li-Hung- 
Chang  had  proclamations  posted  on  all  the  walls  to  the  effect 
that  pardon  would  be  granted  to  all  in  the  besieged  city  who 
came  out  of  it.  Hu  Wang,  or  "  Cock-Eye,"  said  he  would 
behead  any  who  attempted  to  escape,  and  did  kill  some 
as  an  example  ;  but  the  rebels,  encouraged  by  the  promise 
made  to  them  by  the  Imperialists,  escaped  in  very  large 
numbers.  A  letter  is  said  to  have  been  written  by  some  of 
the  chiefs,  proposing  a  plan  by  which  they  should  treacher- 
ously give  up  the  city,  without  appearing  to  do  so.  But 
Chanchu-fu  was  wrested  from  the  rebels  by  assault.  Gover- 
nor Li  led  the  Imperialists  ;  his  artillery  broke  down  the  city 
walls,  and  the  generals  gained  the  ramparts.  But  the  Tai- 
pings  were  stubborn,  and  fought  in  terrible  desperation.  At 
one  time  it  seemed  that  the  rebels  would  again  be  success- 
ful ;  but  just  as  the  Imperialists  began  to  waver,  Gordon 
came  forward  with  one  of  his  regiments  and  a  little  band  of 
enthusiastic  volunteers,  and  led  his  storming  party  into  the 
city,  and  all  was  over  with  the  rebels. 

Hu  Wang  was  very  loth  to  acknowledge  himself  beaten, 
but  fought  to  the  last,  and  refused  altogether  to  submit  to 
Governor  Li.  He  said  that  the  Futai  and  all  his  hosts 
would  not  have  been  able  to  conquer  him  but  for  Gordon. 
He  and  four  other  Wangs  were  executed. 

"  I  think  if  I  am  spared  I  shall  be  home  by  Christmas." 
So  wrote  the  brave  leader  of  the  Ever- Victorious  Army  on 
the  day  before  the  final  taking  of  Chanchu-fu.  And  he 
added,  "  I  do  not  care  one  jot  about  my  promotion  or  what 
people  may  say.  I  know  I  shall  leave  China  as  poor  as  I 
entered  it,  but  with  the  knowledge  that  through  my  weak 


86  GENERAL    GORDON. 

instrumentality  upwards  of  eighty  to  one  hundred  thousand 
lives  have  been  spared." 

It  was  a  good  thing  for  himself  and  his  work  that  the 
brave  leader  of  the  Ever- Victorious  Army  did  not  care  what 
people  said,  for  at  that  time  all  sorts  of  false  stories  were  in 
circulation  in  England.  News  came  that  forty  thousand 
rebels  had  been  massacred  by  the  Allies,  and  there  was 
naturally  great  indignation.  Mr.  Wilson  shows  that  instead 
of  forty  thousand  there  were  just  nine  individuals  executed, 
each  one  of  whom  richly  deserved  his  fate  ;  but  the  feeling 
in  England  was  so  strong  that  the  Government  felt  com- 
pelled to  take  action.  There  were  very  grave  and  heated 
discussions  in  the  Houses  of  Parliament,  many  people  being 
assured  that  the  reports  were  true,  and  many  being  quite  as 
sure  that  they  were  false.  The  supporters  of  the  Government 
had  faith  in  Bruce  and  Gordon,  while  the  opponents  of  the 
Government,  of  course,  blamed  them  for  everything,  and 
believed  the  worst.  At  last  the  British  Government,  early 
in  1864,  revoked  the  order  in  Council  which  permitted  Gor- 
don to  serve  the  Chinese  Government. 

But,  fortunately,  his  work  was  just  finished  when  the  order 
reached  him.  The  rebellion  was,  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses, stamped  out ;  and  the  time  had  come  (at  least  Gor- 
don thought  so,  and  General  Li  agreed  with  him)  when  the 
right  thing  to  do  was  to  disband  the  Ever- Victorious  Army. 
The  English  merchants  at  Shanghai  did  not  think  so,  and 
were  in  a  state  of  great  alarm.  But  Gordon  considered 
that  there  would  be  less  danger  in  disbanding  it  than  in 
permitting  it  to  remain  in  existence.  Certainly  the  army 
recjuired  a  strong  and  wise  leader  to  keep  it  under  control. 
No  one  could  be  sure  that  the  men,  left  to  themselves, 
would  not  turn  round  again  and  fight  with  the  rebels  as 
many  of  them  had  done  before.     Burgevine  might  come 


DISBANDING    OF   THE  ARMY.  87 

back,  or  anything  else  might  happen.  The  men  would 
assuredly  be  better  at  home. 

Accordingly  Gordon  returned  to  Quinsan,  and  from  the 
1 6th  of  May  to  the  ist  of  June  he  was  occupied  sending  off 
the  men.  He  returned  all  arms  to  the  Government,  and 
then  proceeded  to  pay  his  soldiers. 

He  asked  no  reward  for  himself;  but  for  his  officers  and 
men  he  asked  for  very  considerable  sums.  And  this  time 
he  got  what  he  wanted.  He  was  able  to  give  to  the  men 
who  had  served  him  and  risked  their  lives  at  his  side,  not 
only  generous  words  of  well-won  praise,  but  something  much 
more  substantial.  The  Chinese  Government  had  come  to 
see  that  Gordon  knew  best  what  was  right,  and  they  wil- 
lingly handed  over  to  him  the  large  sums  that  he  requested. 
They  also  sent  a  present  to  himself  which  would  have  made 
him  rich,  but  this  again  he  declined.  It  was  a  real  joy  to 
him  to  present  his  officers  with  a  sum  that  more  than  satis- 
fied them,  and  to  give  to  his  men  enough  to  enable  them  to 
make  another  start  in  life. 

There  was,  some  time  afterwards,  a  letter  published  in  the 
Times,  bearing  the  signature  "  Mandarin,"  which,  having 
been  written  by  one  who  fought  in  the  campaign,  and  there- 
fore knew  all  about  Gordon,  and  the  spirit  and  character 
which  he  manifested,  is  very  full  of  interest.  It  is  repro- 
duced in  Mr.  Edmund  Hake's  book,  and  cannot  be  printed 
too  frequently  :  — 

"  It  is  really  surprising  how  scanty  a  knowledge  English 
people  have  of  the  wonderful  feats  performed,  not  many 
years  since,  by  an  officer  whose  name  has  lately  been  rather 
prominently  mentioned  —  Colonel,  or  Chinese  Gordon. 
Having  ser\'ed  under  him  during  the  most  eventful  period 
of  his  command  of  the  Ever- Victorious  Army  —  an  epithet, 
you  may  be  sure,  not  given  by  himself —  I  might  fill  many 


88  GENERAL    GORDON. 

of  your  columns  with  traits  of  General  Gordon's  amazing 
activity  and  wonderful  foresight,  his  indomitable  energy  and 
quiet,  unassuming  modesty,  his  perseverance,  kindness,  cool 
courage,  and  even  heroism.  My  individual  opinion  may 
not  be  worth  much,  but  is  it  not  notorious  that  any  man 
who  has  ever  served  under  or  with  General  (as  you  must 
allow  me  to  style  him)  Gordon  is  an  enthusiastic  believer  in 
his  military  genius  and  capacity?  There  are  not  many 
commanders  of  whom  the  subordinates  would  speak  with 
such  unanimous  praise.  What  is,  perhaps,  most  striking  in 
Gordon's  career  in  China,  is  the  entire  devotion  with  which 
the  native  soldiery  served  him,  and  the  implicit  faith  they 
had  in  the  result  of  operations  in  which  he  was  personally 
present.  In  their  eyes  General  Gordon  was  literally  a  magi- 
cian, to  whom  all  things  were  possible.  They  believed  him 
to  bear  a  charmed  life  ;  and  a  short  stick  or  rattan  cane 
which  he  invariably  carried  about,  and  with  which  he  always 
pointed  in  directing  the  fire  of  artillery  or  other  operations, 
was  firmly  looked  on  as  a  wand  or  talisman.  These  things 
have  been  repeated  to  me  again  and  again  by  my  own  men, 
and  I  know  they  were  accepted  all  over  the  contingent. 
These  notions,  especially  the  men's  idea  that  their  General 
had  a  charmed  existence,  were  substantially  aided  by  Gor- 
don's constant  habit,  when  the  troops  were  under  fire,  of 
appearing  suddenly,  usually  unattended,  and  calmly  standing 
in  the  very  hottest  part  of  the  fire. 

"  Besides  his  favorite  cane,  he  carried  nothing  except 
field-glasses  —  never  a  sword  or  revolver ;  or  rather,  if  the 
latter,  it  was  carried  unostentatiously  and  out  of  sight ; 
and  nothing  could  exceed  the  contrast  between  General 
Gordon's  quiet  undress  uniform,  without  sword-belts  or 
buckles,  and  apparently  no  weapon  but  a  two-foot  rod,  and 
the  buccaneering,  brigand-like  costume  of  the  American 
officers,  striped,  armed,  and  booted  like  theatrical  banditti. 


DISBANDING    OF   THE  ARMY.  89 

"  I  only  know  one  occasion  on  which  General  Gordon  drew 
a  revolver.  The  contingent  had  been  l}dng  idle  in  Quinsan 
for  three  months  of  the  summer  without  taking  the  field. 
This  time  had  been  employed  in  drilling  the  men,  and 
in  laying  in  large  stores  of  war  material,  preparatory  to 
the  approaching  attack  on  Soochow.  The  heat  all  this 
time  was  fearfully  oppressive ;  dysentery  and  cholera  had 
carried  off  many  men  and  officers,  and  drill  tov.-ards  the 
end  of  the  term  was  somewhat  relaxed.  This  in  some 
measure  affected  the  discipline  of  the  men,' and,  indeed,  of 
their  officers  also.  But  the  chief  cause  of  the  deteriorated 
discipline  was  perhaps  to  be  found  in  another  direction. 
On  the  march  and  in  the  field  the  men  were  unable  to 
obtain  opium  —  the  officers  but  slender  stores  of  liquor;  in 
garrison,  on  the  contrary,  they  could  indulge  to  the  full 
extent  of  their  monthly  pay. 

"  But  whatever  the  causes,  it  is  certain  that  when,  towards 
September,  orders  to  prepare  for  an  expedition  against 
strong  forts  and  stockades  barring  the  way  by  canal  from 
Quinsan  to  Soochow  were  issued,  the  discipline  of  the  troops 
was  greatly  inferior  to  what  it  had  been  three  months  earlier. 
The  artiller}',  in  particular,  showed  decided  insubordination. 
One  company  of  it  refused  to  embark  in  the  barges  which 
were  to  take  it  up  the  canal,  the  men  declining  to  take  the 
field  before  the  approaching  pay-day.  The  officers  managed 
to  make  the  men  '  fall  in,'  but  from  the  parade  ground  they 
refused  to  mo\e,  although  the  luggage  was  already  on  board 
the  boats,  lying  fifty  yards  off.  At  this  juncture  General 
Gordon,  who  had  been  apprised  by  messengers  of  the  state 
of  affairs,  arrived  on  the  spot  with  his  interpreter.  He  was 
on  foot,  in  undress,  apparently  unarmed,  and,  as  usual,  ex- 
ceedingly cool,  quiet,  and  undemonstrative. 

*'  Directly  he  approached  the  company,  he  ordered  his  in- 


90  GENERAL   GORDON. 

terpreter  to  direct  every  man  who  refused  to  embark  to  step 
to  the  front.  One  man  only  advanced.  General  Gordon 
drew  his  revolver  from  an  inside  breast-pocket,  presented  it 
at  the  soldier's  head,  and  desired  the  interpreter  to  direct 
the  man  to  march  straight  to  the  barge  and  embark.  The 
order  was  immediately  complied  with,  and  then  General 
Gordon  giving  the  necessary  words  of  command,  the 
company  followed  without  hesitation  or  demur.  It  may  be 
said  that  any  other  determined  officer  might  have  done 
likewise,  and  with  the  same  results.  Not  so.  It  was 
generally  allowed  by  the  officers,  when  the  event  became 
known,  that  the  success  in  this  instance  was  solely  due  to 
the  awe  and  respect  in  which  General  Gordon  was  held  by 
the  men  ;  and  that  such  was  the  spirit  of  the  troops  at  the 
time,  that  had  any  other  but  he  attempted  what  he  did,  the 
company  would  have  broken  into  open  mutiny,  shot  their 
officers,  and  committed  the  wildest  excesses. 

"  In  less  than  a  week  the  spirit  of  the  troops  was  as  excel- 
lent as  before,  and  gradually  the  whole  garrison  joined  in  a 
series  of  movements  which  culminated  in  the  fall  of  Soochow. 

"  Gonsidering  the  materials  Gordon  had  to  work  with,  the 
admirable  state  of  discipline  and  military  efficiency  which 
his  contingent  eventually  attained  is  really  amazing.  He 
certainly  had  a  few  first-rate  officers  —  rough  and  ready  ones, 
no  doubt  —  perhaps  half-a-dozen  altogether,  of  which  General 
Kirkham,  at  present  in  Abyssinia,  was  one  ;  but  as  for  the 
remainder,  or  the  great  majority  of  the  remainder,  I  scarcely 
like  to  use  the  epithets  which  would  l)e  most  applicable  to 
them.  This  I  remember,  during  the  month  of  July  when 
the  corps  was  in  Quinsan,  out  of  a  hundred  and  thirty  or  a 
hundred  and  forty  officers,  eleven  died  of  deliriu77i  tremens. 
There  was  no  picking  or  choosing  ;  the  General  was  glad  to 
get  any  foreigners  to  fill  up  vacancies,  and  the  result,  espe- 


DISBANDING    OF   THE  ARMY.  91 

cially  in  garrison,  was  deplorable.  They  fought  well,  and 
led  their  men  well,  however ;  and  that,  after  all,  was  the 
chief  requisite. 

"  Well,  notwithstanding  such  drawbacks,  every  regiment 
could  go  through  the  manual,  and  platoon,  and  bayonet 
exercises  to  English  words  of  command,  with  a  smartness  and 
precision  to  which  not  many  volunteer  companies  can  attain  ; 
could  manoeuvre  very  fairly  in  companies  or  as  a  battalion  ; 
and  each  regiment  had  been  put  through  a  regular  com-se  of 
musketry  instruction,  every  man  firing  his  ninety  rounds  at 
the  regular  distances,  up  to  three  hundred  yards,  the  scores 
and  returns  being  satisfactorily  kept,  and  the  good  shots 
rewarded. 

"  It  was  a  most  fortunate  thing  for  General  Gordon  that, 
a  few  years  before  he  accepted  the  Chinese  command,  he  had 
been  employed  in  surveying  and  mapping  precisely  that 
portion  of  the  country  in  which  his  future  operations  were 
carried  on.  This  part  of  China  is  a  vast  network  of  canals 
and  tow-paths ;  there  are  absolutely  no  roads,  wheeled 
vehicles  are  never  used,  and  the  bridges  still  remaining  were 
scarce  and  precarious.  It  was  an  immense  advantage  to 
know  what  canals  were  still  navigable,  which  choked  with 
weeds,  and  what  bridges  were  left  standing ;  where  the 
ground  would  be  likely  to  bear  artillery,  and  where  it  was 
impassable  swamp.  Gordon  knew  every  feature  of  the 
country  better  than  any  other  person,  native  or  foreigner  — 
far  better  even  than  the  rebels  who  had  overrun  it,  and  been 
in  partial  possession  for  years. 

"  But  even  these  advantages  would  go  but  a  short  way 
towards  accounting  for  the  complete  and  thorough  success 
which  marked  Gordon's  career,  where  his  predecessors  had 
gained  merely  temporary  advantages,  fruitless  toward  secur- 
ing the  main  object  in  view — the  expulsion  of  the  enemy 


92  GENERAL    GORDON. 

from  the  province.  The  reasons  for  Gordon's  great  suc- 
cesses, for  his  unparalleled  feat,  must  be  sought  for  elsewhere  ; 
and  they  are,  without  doubt,  firstly,  his  military  genius,  and 
secondly,  his  character  and  qualities,  which  were  such  as  to 
cause  all  brought  in  contact  or  serving  under  him  to  have 
unbounded  faith  in  his  capacity,  and  to  feel  firmly  that  the 
best  means  at  his  disposal  would  be  used  to  the  best 
purpose. 

"To  persons  who  know  General  Gordon  —  his  unassuming 
ways,  and  quiet,  retiring  manners  —  it  speaks  volumes  that 
the  ignorant  men  and  rowdy  officers  composing  his  contin- 
gent should  have  looked  on  him  in  the  light  they  did,  and  in 
the  manner  I  have  attempted  to  describe. 

"  That  a  swaggering,  ostentatious,  dashing,  and  successful 
general  should  be  looked  up  to  by  such  men  would  be 
natural  enough.  If  one  were  to  draw  inferences,  one  might, 
perhaps,  say  the  ignorant  Chinamen  were  better  judges  than 
certain  well-educated  folk  nearer  home." 

Mr.  Hake  says  that  there  is  one  mistake  in  this  apprecia- 
tive letter,  and  that  Gordon  had  not  the  advantage  of  a  pre- 
vious knowledge  of  the  district  in  which  his  exploits  were 
done. 

Gordon  had  disbanded  his  army,  but  he  had  not  therefore 
ceased  to  feel  an  interest  in  China. 

He  went  to  Nanking,  and  visited  Tseng  Kuo-fau  there, 
and  also  the  Governor  of  the  province  of  Chekiang,  the 
commander  of  the  troops  at  Nanking,  and  conferred  with 
them  as  to  the  best  means  of  completing  the  work.  Gordon 
thoroughly  examined  the  defences  and  the  works,  and 
thought  the  place  would  be  easy  to  capture.  He  advised 
the  introduction  of  some  changes  into  the  Imperial  army, 
such  as  instructing  the  natives  in  the  use  of  other  arms  than 
their  own,  of  paying  the  men  regularly,  and  of  augmenting 
the  army. 


DISBANDING    OF  THE  ARMY.  93 

He  soon  after  wrote  a  letter,  which  proved  that  with  his 
usual  insight  he  had  quite  understood  the  Chinese  nature. 
He  said  it  was  no  use  to  drive  them  even  into  a  course  of 
action  that  would  be  for  their  good  ;  and  that  the  only  way 
to  manage  them  successfully  was  to  lead  them,  and  not 
offend  their  prejudices. 

In  what  esteem  our  hero  was  held  by  the  Chinese  was 
proved  in  many  ways. 

When  he  went  to  Li-Hung-Chang  to  take  leave  of  him, 
the  Futai  showed  him  every  respect  and  honor.  The  more 
he  had  knowTi  of  Gordon,  the  more  profoundly  had  he  been 
impressed  by  his  perfect  blamelessness  of  life  and  his  great 
ability.  He  had  misjudged  him  sometimes  ;  but  the  two 
men,  now  altogether  reconciled,  and  each  admiring  the 
other,  did  not  scruple  to  unsay  what  they  had  said  before, 
and  give  every  expression  to  their  cordial  sympathies  toward 
each  other. 

Gordon  did  not  care  for  honors,  but  plenty  were  showered 
upon  him.  He  received  several  titles.  He  was  made  a 
"  Ti-tu,"  which  gave  him  the  highest  rank  in  the  Chinese 
army ;  and  the  Emperor  himself  commanded  that  he  should 
be  rewarded  with  "  a  yellow  riding  jacket,  to  be  worn  on  his 
person,  and  a  peacock's  feather,  to  be  carried  on  his  cap  ; 
also,  that  there  be  bestowed  on  him  four  suits  of  the  uniform 
proper  to  his  rank  of  Ti-tu,  in  token  of  our  favor  and  desire 
to  do  him  honor." 

These  were  very  grand  presents  —  indeed,  the  greatest  that 
China  could  bestow — and  although  Gordon  refused  to  take 
the  emperor's  money,  he  did  not  refuse  these  honors.  He 
wrote  to  his  mother  in  his  own  affectionate  way,  "  I  do  not 
care  twopence  about  these  things,  but  know  that  you  and 
my  father  like  them."  The  Emperor  wished  the  British 
Minister  to  bring  before    the    notice    of  Her  Majesty  the 


94  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Queen  of  England  his  appreciation  of  the  splendid  services, 
which  Gordon  had  rendered.  He  hoped  that  he  would  be 
rewarded  in  England  as  well  as  in  China  for  his  heroic 
achievements. 

A  subsequent  letter  in  the  Times  said  that  Prince  Kung, 
who  was  then  the  Regent  of  China,  had  waited  upon  Sir 
Frederick  Bruce,  and  said  to  him,  —  "You  will  be  astonished 
to  see  me  again,  but  I  felt  I  could  not  allow  you  to  leave 
without  coming  to  see  you  about  Gordon.  We  do  not  know 
what  to  do.  He  will  not  receive  money  from  us,  and  we 
have  already  given  him  every  honor  which  it  is  in  the  power 
of  the  Emperor  to  bestow  ;  but  as  these  can  be  of  little  value 
in  his  eyes,  I  have  brought  you  this  letter,  and  ask  you  to 
give  it  to  the  Queen  of  England,  that  she  may  bestow  on 
him  some  reward  which  would  be  more  valuable  in  his  eyes." 

Sir  Frederick  Bruce  sent  this  to  London  with  a  letter  of 
his  own  :  — 

"  I  enclose  translation  of  dispatch  from  Prince  Kung,  con- 
taining the  decree  published  by  the  Emperor,  acknowledg- 
ing the  services  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gordon,  Royal  Engin- 
eers, and  requesting  that  Her  Majesty's  Government  be 
pleased  to  recognize  him.  This  step  has  been  spontaneously 
taken. 

"  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gordon  well  deserves  Her  Majesty's 
favor,  for,  inde})endently  of  the  skill  and  courage  he  has 
shown,  his  disinterestedness  has  elevated  our  national  charac- 
ter in  the  eyes  of  the  Chinese.  Not  only  has  he  refused  any 
pecuniary  reward,  but  he  has  spent  more  than  his  pay  in  con- 
tributing to  the  comfort  of  the  officers  who  served  under  him, 
and  in  assuaging  the  distress  of  the  starving  population  whom 
he  relieved  from  the  yoke  of  their  oppressors.  Indeed,  the 
feeling  that  impelled  him  to  resume  operations  after  the  fall 
of  Soochow  was  one  of  the  purest  humanity.     He  sought  to 


DISBANDING  OF  THE  ARMY.  95 

save  the  people  of  the  districts  that  had  been  recovered  from 
a  repetition  of  the  misery  entailed  upon  them  by  this  cruel 
civil  war." 

It  does  not  seem,  however,  that  anyone  mentioned  the 
affair  to  the  Queen,  or  that  any  particular  notice  was  taken 
by  the  Government  of  the  heroic  deeds  of  the  Englishman, 
of  whom  any  land  must  have  been  proud  ;  and  it  was  a  good 
thing,  therefore,  that  the  heart  of  the  Christian  soldier  was 
not  set  upon  either  fame  or  reward. 

He  did  receive  what  he  must  have  valued  very  highly,  an 
engrossed  and  illuminated  address  from  the  merchants  of 
Shanghai,  who  expressed  in  very  generous  terms  their  respect 
and  admiration.     To  this  Gordon  wrote  in  reply  :  — 

"Shanghai,  25th  November,  1864. 

"  Gentlemen  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  re- 
ceipt of  your  handsome  letter  of  this  day's  date,  and  to  ex- 
press to  you  the  great  satisfaction  which  I  feel  at  the  honor- 
able mention  you  have  made  therein  of  my  services  in  China. 

"  It  will  always  be  a  matter  of  gratification  to  me  to  have 
received  your  approval ;  and  deeply  impressed  with  the  honor 
you  have  paid  me  —  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Gentlemen, 
yours  obediently, 

"  C.  G.  Gordon." 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  COLLAPSE  OF  THE  REBELLION. 

"The  guilt  of  conscience  take  thee  for  thy  labor, 
But  neither  my  good  word,  nor  princely  favor; 
With  Cain  go  wander  through  the  shade  of  night, 
And  never  show  thy  head  by  day  nor  light." 

—  Richard  II. 

"  '"T^PIE  back  of  the  rebellion  had  been  broken  ;"  indeed 
\.  the  rebellion  itself  was  all  but  dead.  There  still  re- 
mained Nanking,  the  royal  city  of  the  rebels,  now  in  desola- 
tion, but  striving  to  hold  its  own  against  starvation  and  all 
other  foes.  The  Rev.  Joseph  Edkins,  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  visited  the  city  about  this  time,  and  thus  de- 
scribes what  he  saw  :  —  "  Where  the  porcelain  tower  once 
stood,  there  is  now  a  mass  of  glazed  bricks,  whole  and  bro- 
ken, white  and  colored.  The  Tai-ping  people,  had  they  the 
power,  wouhl  destroy  all  the  idol  temples  and  pagodas  in 
China.  Their  religious  fanaticism  is  too  essential  a  part  of 
the  movement  to  allow  of  any  change  in  this  point.  Nan- 
king was  famed  for  the  grandeur  of  its  monasteries  and  the 
number  of  its  priests.     They  have  all  disappeared. 

"  Hung-sien-tsiuen  lives  within  a  double  wall,  with  imperial 
dragons  painted  on  the  gates.  Every  morning  a  few  scribes 
may  be  seen  copying  new  edicts,  written  on  yellow  satin,  and 


THE    COLLAPSE    OE   THE  REBELLION.  97 

pasted  on  boards  near  the  palace  entrance.  They  are  in  red 
ink,  in  the  chiefs  own  handwriting,  and  consist  in  great  part 
of  statements  on  the  subject  of  the  Tai-ping  religion.  In 
some  I  read  he  attempted  to  deprive  the  relation  of  our  Sav- 
iour to  the  Father  in  regard  to  his  divine  nature,  and  in  do- 
ing so  expressed  Arian  views.  The  door  of  the  palace  is 
called  '  The  holy  heavenly  gate  of  the  true  God.' 

"  A  walk  in  the  Manchu  city  helped  us  to  appreciate  the 
intense  hatred  of  the  Tartar  rulers  felt  by  the  Tai-pings. 
Only  one  house  was  left  standing  in  a  city  of  25,000  inhab- 
itants. The  city  walls  and  gates,  too  massive  to  be  thrown 
down,  are  overgrown  with  wild  flowers  and  weeds.  All 
ornamental  structures  of  colored  bricks,  which  once  stood 
upon  them,  have  been  carefully  destroyed.  Broken  bricks 
and  porcelain  of  many  colors  lie  along  the  wall  and  near  it. 

"  The  great  river  Yang-tse-kiang  sweeps  past  Nanking  to 
the  northeast.  A  fine  range  of  hills  appears  on  the  north 
side.  One  of  their  summits  has  on  it  a  pagoda,  seen  from 
Nanking.  We  asked  the  Tai-pings  why  that  edifice  was  not, 
like  others  of  the  kind,  destroyed.  '  We  have  not  yet  found 
time  for  such  a  thing,'  was  the  reply.  On  the  Nanking 
shore  two  hills  frown  at  one  another.  One  of  them  is  the 
'  Purple  Forbidden  Hill,'  on  the  southern  slopes  of  which  are 
the  tombs  of  the  founder  of  the  Ming  dynasty  and  his  father. 
The  other  hill  is  inside  the  walls,  and  has  been  included  with- 
in the  palaces  of  ancient  emperors,  when  Nanking  was  the 
temporary  capital.  It  is  now  used  as  a  site  for  a  high  look- 
out by  the  rebels.  Beyond  it  and  the  north  wall  are  batter- 
ies placed  on  the  riverside." 

Mr.  Edkins  came  out  of  his  experience  in  Nanking  un- 
harmed by  the  rebels  ;  but  another  missionary,  an  American, 
the  Rev.  J.  L.  Holmes  —  whose  letter,  taken  from  the  North 
China  Herald,  and  giving  an  account  of  his  visit,  is  inserted 


98  GENERAL    GORDON. 

in  an  earlier  part  of  the  present  volume  —  was  cruelly  mur- 
dered by  the  Tai-pings  in  1861,  the  year  after  his  visit  to 
them.  He  had  written  other  letters  which  offended  the  reb- 
els ;  and  especially  one  which  he  intended  the  chief  to  see, 
but  which  fell,  instead,  into  the  hands  of  his  subordinates, 
containing  grave  and  direct  charges  against  the  opinions  and 
practices  of  the  Tai-pings.  One  life  more  or  less  was  of  very 
little  consequence  to  the  rebels  ;  and  Mr.  Holmes,  near  Che- 
foo,  fell  a  sacrifice  to  the  prey  of  a  party  of  the  rebels  who 
were  called  Nien-fei. 

Things  became  worse  and  worse  with  the  Tai-pings  who 
were  shut  up  in  Nanking.  It  was  estimated  that  the  Faith- 
ful King  lost  no  less  than  100,000  men  from  the  attacks  of 
a  foe,  who  worked  surely  but  silently  among  them,  and  whose 
name  was  Starvation.  They  died  because  their  commander 
had  no  rations  to  give  them.  But  the  Faithful  King  was  very 
tme  to  his  name,  and  altogether  worthy  of  it.  He  would  not 
yield  until  the  city  was  completely  invested,  and  there  was 
positively  no  hope.  At  last  the  Imperialists  entered  Nanking 
—  to  find  that  the  Faithful  King  had  set  fire  to  it,  and  that  the 
whole  place  was  in  desolation.  Grass  was  growing  in  thj 
streets,  and  nearly  the  whole  city  was  in  ruins.  Hung-sien- 
tsiuen,  the  originator  of  the  trouble,  did  not  remain  to  suffer 
the  penalty  of  his  misdoings  from  others.  He  endeavored  to 
maintain  some  dignity  to  the  end,  and  would  not  allow  it  to 
be  thought  by  any  that  he  was  afraid.  When  the  worst  had 
come  to  the  worst,  he  killed  himself  to  prevent  any  unholy 
hands  from  slaying  him. 

The  Faithful  King  and  other  Wangs  were  arrested,  and 
sentenced  to  be  executed.  He  spent  the  time  that  remained 
to  him  in  writing  an  autobiography,  which  had  some  merit 
as  a  literary  production,  and  was  especially  designed  to  show 
strong  and  sufficient  reasons  why  he  —  the  Faithful  King  — 


THE    COLLAPSE    OF  THE  REBELLLON.  99 

should  not  be  put  to  death.  But  they  were  not  strong  enough 
to  convince  the  Imperialists,  and  he  shared  the  fate  of  the 
other  rebels.  It  was,  perhaps,  necessary  that  he  should  die  ; 
but  no  one  can  read  the  story  of  the  Faithful  King,  as  told 
by  Mr.  Wilson  in  his  Ever-  Victorious  Army,  without  feeling 
that  there  was  a  considerable  amount  of  nobility  and  even 
heroism  in  the  xaSxx. 

Indeed,  looking  at  the  Tai-pings  and  their  doctrines  as  a 
whole,  it  is  impossible  not  to  see  that,  especially  at  first,  they 
were  certainly  not  all  bad.  They  set  their  faces  against  a 
great  many  of  the  corrupt  practices  of  the  Chinese.  They 
endeavored  to  abolish  opium- smoking.  They  would  not 
countenance  the  slave-trade.  They  denounced  the  use  of 
torture  and  bribing  in  courts  of  justice,  and  the  tail-wearing 
slave-badge  of  the  men.  They  commanded  that  the  feet  of 
the  women  should  not  be  crippled  by  tight  shoes,  but  should 
be  allowed  to  grow  to  the  natural  size.  They  disregarded  the 
Chinese  idea  of  lucky  and  unlucky  days.  They  instituted 
literary  examinations,  though  the  parade  of  Christianity,  and 
the  requirements  of  the  adherence  of  the  students  to  obey  the 
doctrines  of  Hung  in  connection  with  these  examinations,  pre- 
vented them  from  doing  much  good.  The  theme  was  "  Unit- 
ing to  elevate  the  Heavenly  Father  and  Heavenly  Brother  to 
the  Headship  over  all  duty  and  morality."  The  publications 
of  Hung-sien-tsiuen  were  used  as  reading-books  among  the 
rebels  and  their  families  ;  but  they  all  insisted  upon  one  cen- 
tral assertion  —  that  Hung  himself  was  divinely  appointed  to 
be  the  head  of  the  world,  which  should  be  regenerated  through 
his  instrumentality,  and  become  under  his  reign  "  the  heav- 
enly kingdom  of  great  peace"  (Tai-ping-tien-kno).  He 
demanded  from  all  his  followers  faith  in  him  as  a  sort  of  Mes- 
siah, second  only  to  Christ.  This  will  be  seen  from  a  com- 
munication made  in  a  letter  from  the  chief  himself  to  an 


100  GENERAL    GORDON. 

American  missionary,  Mr.  Roberts  :  —  "  Add  to  your  faith. 
Do  not  suppose  that  I  am  deceived.  I  am  the  one  saviour 
of  the  chosen  people.  Why  do  you  feel  uncertain  of  the  fact 
of  divine  communications  to  me?  When  Joshua  formerly 
destroyed  the  enemies  of  God  the  sun  and  moon  stood  still. 
When  Abraham  sat  under  the  oak  three  men  stood  by  him. 
Carefully  think  of  all  this.  Do  you  become  conscious  of  it? 
Do  you  believe  ?  I  am  grieved  at  heart,  having  written  very 
many  edicts  on  these  matters,  and  all  men  being  with  me  as 
one  family.  When  Kan  Wang  came  to  the  capital,  he  also 
had  a  revelation.  To  recognize  these  divine  communications 
is  better  than  being  baptized  a  thousand  times.  Blessed  are 
they  that  watch.  Your  Father,  your  Lord,  comes  to  you  as 
a  thief,  and  at  a  time  when  you  know  not.  He  that  believeth 
shall  be  saved.  You  will  see  greater  things  than  these.  Re- 
spect this." 

"  Respect  this  "  is  always  the  conclusion  to  an  emperor's 
edict ;  and  so  Hung  used  it,  to  give  his  letter  more  effect. 

It  will  have  been  seen  throughout  that  the  religion  which 
Hung  professed  and  taught  had  some  Christianity  in  it,  though 
it  was  rather  a  caricature  than  otherwise.  Still,  at  first  many 
hoped  that  the  rebels  might  bring  about  a  change  for  the 
better  ;  and  perhaps  if  the  Heavenly  King  had  found  an  em- 
pire of  willing  subjects,  and  had  met  with  no  resistance,  it 
might  have  been  so.  Certainly  he  talked  of  many  improve- 
ments which  he  intended  to  introduce,  such  as  gas-lighting, 
railroads,  telegraphs,  and  a  higher  system  of  education.  But 
since  he  was  not  at  once  acknowledged,  and  had  to  take  his 
armies  into  unwilling  villages  and  towns,  he  had  to  plunder 
the  people  in  order  to  provide  for  liis  men  ;  and  this,  of  course, 
greatly  incensed  them,  and  turned  them  into  enemies.  The 
consequence  was  that  every  year  the  rebels  became  more 
lawless,  until  at  last  it  seemed  that  there  was  no  right  feeling 


THE    COLLAPSE    OF   THE   REBELLION.  101 

among  them  ;  and  their  cruelties  became  so  great  that  Gordon, 
humane  as  lie  was,  felt  that  they  ought  to  be  extirpated. 

When  he  began  his  work,  whole  regions,  rich  in  silk  and  tea, 
were  overrun  by  hordes  of  Tai-pings.  His  force,  as  we  have 
seen,  was  altogether  disorganized.  The  men  were  ready  to 
fight,  and,  indeed,  were  eager  to  be  engaged  ;  but  they  did 
not  care  very  much  with  whom,  or  on  which  side.  In  the 
army  there  was  no  discipline  ;  and  he  found  no  supplies  ready 
to  his  hand.  There  were  no  regular  roads  by  which  he  could 
take  his  men  where  they  were  needed ;  and  difficulties  of  all 
kinds  surrounded  him.  He  was  very  much  alone  in  the 
burden  of  responsibility  that  was  laid  upon  him  ;  for  he  could 
not  be  sure  of  sympathy  or  help  from  England,  or  even  from 
China.  But  of  one  thing  he  could  and  did  feel  sure  —  namely, 
that  the  cause  in  which  he  was  engaged  was  one  of  righteous- 
ness and  mercy,  and  that  God  was  on  his  side  \  and  this  con- 
viction kept  him  brave  and  patient  through  all.  And  he 
never  forgot  whose  servant  he  was.  He  was  in  himself  an 
illustration  of  the  truth  that  the  Christian  is  the  highest  type 
of  man.     Because  he  ser\'ed  God  he  served  his  fellows  also. 

'"  In  a  position  of  unequalled  difficulty,"  said  the  address 
presented  to  him  by  the  Shanghai  merchants,  "and  sur- 
rounded by  complications  of  every  possible  nature,  you  have 
succeeded  in  offering  to  the  eyes  of  the  Chinese  nation,  no 
less  by  your  loyal  and  throughout  disinterested  line  of  action, 
than  by  your  conspicuous  gallantry  and  talent  for  organization 
and  command,  the  example  of  a  foreign  officer  serving  the 
Government  of  this  country  with  honorable  fidelity  and  unde- 
viating  self-respect."  His  name,  which  will  ever  be  revered 
in  China,  began  to  be  known  and  honored  in  England  also. 
In  the  Times  of  5th  August,  1S64,  was  a  leading  article 
showing  great  and  just  appreciation  of  our  noble  country- 
man :  — 


102  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  Never  did  soldier  of  fortune  deport  himself  with  a  nicer 
sense  of  military  honor,  with  more  gallantry  against  the  resist- 
ing, with  more  mercy  toward  the  vanquished,  with  more  dis- 
interested neglect  of  opportunities  of  personal  advantage,  or 
with  more  entire  devotion  to  the  objects  and  desires  of  his 
own  Government,  than  this  officer,  who,  after  all  his  victories, 
has  just  laid  down  his  sword.  A  history  of  operations  among 
cities  of  uncouth  names,  and  in  provinces,  the  geography  of 
which  is  unknown  except  to  special  students,  would  be  tedious 
and  uninstructive.  The  result  of  Colonel  Gordon's  operations, 
however,  is  this  :  He  found  the  richest  and  most  fertile  dis- 
tricts of  China  in  the  hands  of  the  most  savage  brigands.  The 
silk  districts  were  the  scenes  of  their  cruelty  and  riot,  and  the 
great  historical  cities  of  Hangchow  and  Soochow  were  rapidly 
following  the  fate  of  Nanking,  and  were  becoming  desolate 
ruins  in  their  possession.  Gordon  has  cut  the  rebellion  in 
half,  has  recovered  the  great  cities,  has  isolated  and  utterly 
discouraged  the  fragments  of  the  brigand  power,  and  has  left 
the  marauders  nothing  but  a  few  tracts  of  devastated  country 
and  their  stronghold  of  Nanking.  All  this  he  has  effected, 
first  by  the  power  of  his  arms,  and  afterward,  still  more  rap- 
idly, by  the  terror  of  his  name." 

Gordon  had  not  left  China  when  Nanking  was  subdued. 
At  that  time  almost  nothing  remained  of  the  rebels.  Gor- 
don had  fought  in  no  lesis  than  twenty-three  battles,  and  had 
met  with  not  quite  but  almost  invariable  success.  Event- 
ually, on  the  1 6th  April,  1865,  eight  thousand  Government 
troops  caused  the  rebels  to  evacuate  Hangchow  and  retreat 
towards  Timgshan.  They  were  pursued  and  surrounded  on 
all  hands,  until  the  little  remnant  of  the  great  host  fleeing  to 
the  mountains,  broke  up  and  got  lost.  Thus  ended  the 
rebellion  of  the  Tai-pings. 

Some  lasting  good  has  no  doubt  resulted  for  China.     Mr. 


THE    COLLAPSE    OF   THE  REBELLLO.V.  103 

Andrew  Wilson  shows  the  good  effect  of  introducing  Euro- 
pean medical  arrangements  into  the  Ever- Victorious  Army  ; 
and  he  has  published  in  his  book  some  very  interesting 
statistics  respecting  the  grand  work  which  Mr.  Moftit  was 
able  to  do  among  the  wounded  and  diseased.  Before  that 
time  the  Chinese  knew  very  little  of  surgery.  It  was  found 
that  fevers  were  most  fatal,  and  that  diarrhoea  was  very 
common,  especially  in  the  hot  season,  and  among  those  who 
indulged  themselves  in  opium-smoking.  The  Chinese  have 
almost  no  taste  for  alcohol ;  and  they  can  live  quite  comfort- 
ably on  a  simple  diet  of  rice,  vegetables,  and  fish. 

Gordon's  work  in  China  has  been  the  means  of  awaken- 
ing considerable  interest  in  the  country,  hitherto  so  little 
known  ;  and  the  last  few  years  have  seen  many  books  pro- 
duced upon  the  subject.  What  China  now  wants  is  thus 
summed  up  in  a  little  book  entitled.  The  Foreigner  in  Far 
Cathay,  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Medhurst,  H.B.M.  Consul  at 
Shanghai :  — '"'  Let  the  commercial  enterprise  of  the  people 
be  taken  advantage  of  to  introduce  the  thin  end  of  the 
wedge  of  progress  whenever  the  opportunity  offers  itself;  let 
knowledge  be  sown  broadcast  throughout  the  land  by  means 
of  suitable  and  instructive  publications  in  the  native  lan- 
guage ;  and  let  foreign  powers  combine  to  treat  China  justly, 
and  at  the  same  time  see  to  it  that  she  acts  justly  by  them, 
and  not  only  will  progress  be  possible,  but  no  long  time 
need  elapse  before  a  regeneration  ensues,  which  shall  at 
once  satisfy  the  longings  of  the  diplomatist,  the  merchant, 
and  the  missionary." 

This  book  bears  the  date  1872  ;  and  a  pamphlet  reprinted 
from  The  Phoenix  —  A  IVeek  in  Nanking,  by  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Bryson,  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  Wuc- 
hang, China,  of  the  same  date,  describes  Nanking  as  it  was 
then  :  — 


104  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  One  feature  of  the  prospect,  both  outside  and  inside  the 
walls,  was  very  conspicuous  —  viz.  the  absence  of  trees. 
This,  and  the  presence  of  ruins  in  all  directions,  especially 
in  the  less  inhabited  portions  of  the  city,  and  when  seen 
after  the  sun  had  set,  gave  a  weird,  desolate  character  to  the 
place.  In  some  marshy  places  one  had  also  to  be  careful 
how  he  walked,  lest  he  should  get  a  fall  into  a  ditch. 
Usually  at  these  dangerous  points  we  found  a  septangular 
stone  pillar,  with  a  figure  of  Buddha  carved  on  each  face, 
and  an  invocation  cut  down  the  side.  These  are  piously  set 
up  as  a  kind  of  talisman,  to  ward  off  the  unseen  evil  spirits 
who  are  supposed  to  infest  such  roads,  and  attack  the  un- 
wary traveller. 

"  The  want  of  trees  is  attributable  to  the  possession  of  the 
place  by  hostile  armies  for  so  many  years  during  the  late 
rebellion.  There  were  other  vestiges  of  the  horrors  of  that 
siege  to  be  seen  besides  these.  We  came  across  a  plot  of 
ground  literally  crammed  with  grave-mounds,  and  found 
many  officers  and  men  living  in  tents  close  by  with  a  num- 
ber of  newly-made  coffins  at  hand.  They  were  engaged  in 
exhuming  the  bones  and  dead  bodies,  to  be  carried  out  and 
re-interred  in  a  cemetery  without  the  walls.  It  is  well  known 
that  the  rebels  were  reduced  to  awful  extremity  before  the 
city  fell.  They  were  falling  thick  of  star\'ation.  Individuals 
used  to  be  dropped  over  the  walls  at  night  to  dig  up  every 
root  they  could  find.  And  such  was  the  slaughter  at  the 
taking  of  the  city  that  the  streets  literally  swam  with  blood, 
and  heaps  upon  hca])s  of  dead  had  to  be  hurriedly 
buried  within  the  walls." 

Nanking,  however,  the  city  bcautiiul  for  situation,  is  be- 
coming more  beautiful  every  year  as  it  recovers  from  its 
sorrows  of  twenty-five  years  ago.  The  streets  are  wider 
than  those  of  any  other  city  in  China,  the  shops  and  houses 


THE    COLLAPSE    OF   THE  REBELLION.  105 

are  rebuilt,  and  business  and  pleasure  fill  the  place  once  so 
desolate.  The  Imperial  Satin  Manufactory  is  carrying  on 
its  work,  and  a  stranger  arriving  for  the  first  time  would  not, 
unless  he  knew  its  history,  dream  that  Nanking  had  passed 
through  such  an  awful  experience. 

General  Gordon  has  been  to  China  once  since  all  this 
happened.  He  went  at  the  request  of  his  old  colleague, 
Li-Hung-Chang.  Some  time  afterward  his  counsel  in  regard 
to  China  appeared  in  the  form  of  a  letter,  or  proclamation, 
said  to  be  addressed  to  Li-Hung-Chang,  and  which  was 
published  in  the  C/ii/ia  Mail.  It  is  an  exceedingly  charac- 
teristic letter,  and  is  important,  because  it  treats  of  the 
military  strength  of  China,  and  how  that  strength  may  be 
developed,  and  also  because,  as  the  China  Alail  remarks, 
"  the  writer's  simple  honesty  comes  straight  from  the  heart, 
and  he  is  entirely  unencumbered  by  anything  outside  of  his 
inborn  convictions."     The  following  is  the  memoranda  :  — 

"  China  possesses  a  long-used  military  organization,  a 
regular  military  discipline.  Leave  it  intact.  It  is  suited  to 
her  people. 

"  China,  in  her  numbers,  has  the  advantage  over  other 
powers.  Her  people  are  inured  to  hardships.  Armed  with 
breech-loaders,  accustomed  to  the  use  and  care  of  breech- 
loaders, and  no  more  is  needed  for  her  infantry. 

"  Breech-loaders  ought  to  be  bought  on  some  system,  and 
the  same  general  system  made  applicable  to  the  whole 
nation.  It  is  not  advisable  to  manufacture  them,  though 
means  of  repair  should  be  established  at  certain  centres. 
Breech-loading  ammunition  should  be  manufactured  at  dif- 
ferent centres.  Breech-loaders  of  various  patterns  should 
not  be  bought,  though  no  objection  could  be  offered  to  a 
different   breech-loader  in,   say,   four  provinces,   from   that 


106  GENERAL    GORDON. 

used  in  another  group  of  four  provinces.  Any  breech- 
loaders which  will  carry  well  up  to  a  thousand  yards  will  be 
sufficient.  It  is  not  advisable  to  spend  money  on  the 
superior  breech-loaders,  carrying  further.  Ten  breech- 
loaders carrying  up  to  one  thousand  yards  could  be  bought 
for  the  same  money  as  five  breech-loaders  of  a  superior 
class,  carrying  to  one  thousand  five  hundred  yards.  For 
the  Chinese  it  would  cost  more  time  to  teach  the  use  of  the 
longer-range  rifle  than  it  is  worth,  and  then,  probabl}^,  if 
called  to  use  it,  in  confusion  the  scholar  would  forget  his 
lesson.  This  is  known  to  be  the  case.  Therefore  buy  ordi- 
nary breech-loading  rifles  of  a  thousand  yards'  range,  of 
simple  construction,  of  solid  form.  Do  not  go  into  pur- 
chasing a  very  light,  delicately-made  rifle.  A  Chinese  sol- 
dier does  not  mind  one  or  two  pounds  more  Aveight,  for  he 
carries  no  knapsack  or  kit. 

"  China's  power  is  in  her  numbers,  in  the  quick  moving 
of  her  troops,  in  the  little  baggage  they  require,  in  their  few 
wants.  It  is  known  that  men  armed  with  swords  and  spears 
can  overcome  the  best  regular  troops  ;  if  armed  with  the 
best  breech-loading  rifles  and  well  instructed  in  every  way, 
if  the  country  is  at  all  difficult,  and  if  the  men  with  the 
spears  and  swords  outnumber  their  foe  ten  to  one.  If  this 
is  the  case  when  men  are  armed  with  spears  and  swords,  it 
will  be  much  truer  when  the  same  are  armed  with  ordinary 
breech-loaders. 

"  China  should  never  engage  in  pitched  battles.  Her 
strength  is  in  quick  movements,  in  cutting  off  the  trains  or 
baggage  in  night  attacks  not  pushed  home  ;  in  a  continuous 
worrying  of  her  enemies. 

"  Rockets  should  be  used  instead  of  cannon  ;  no  artillery 
should  be  moved  with  the  troops.  It  delays  and  impedes 
them.     Infantry  fire  is  the  most  fatal  fire.     Guns  make  a 


THE   COLLAPSE    OF   THE  REBELLION.  107 

noise  far  out  of  proportion  to  their  \alue  in  war.  If  guns 
are  taken  into  the  field,  troops  cannot  march  faster  than 
those  guns.  The  degree  of  speed  at  which  the  guns  can  be 
carried  along  dictates  the  speed  at  which  the  troops  can 
march.  Therefore  very  few  guns,  if  any,  ought  to  be  taken  ; 
and  those  few  should  be  smooth  bored,  large  bore  breech- 
loaders, consisting  of  four  parts,  to  be  screwed  together 
when  needed  for  use. 

"  Chinese  accustomed  to  make  forts  of  earth  ought  to 
continue  this,  and  study  the  use  of  trenches  for  the  attack  of 
cities. 

"  China  should  never  attack  forts.  She  ought  to  wait  and 
starve  her  foes  out,  and  worry  them  night  and  day. 

"  China  should  have  a  it'^N  small  bored,  very  long  range 
wall-pieces,  ritled  and  breech-loaders.  They  are  light  to 
carry,  and  if  placed  a  long  way  off,  will  be  safe  from  attack. 
If  the  enemy  comes  out  to  take  them,  the  Chinese  can  run 
away ;  and  if  the  enemy  takes  one  or  two,  it  is  no  loss. 
Firing  them  in  the  enemy's  camps  a  long  way  off  would 
prevent  the  enemy  sleeping ;  and  if  he  does  not  sleep,  then 
he  gets  ill,  and  goes  into  hospital,  and  then  needs  other 
enemies  to  take  care  of  him,  and  thus  the  enemy's  numbers 
are  reduced. 

"  ^^^^en  an  enemy  comes  up  and  breaks  the  wall  of  a  city, 
the  Chinese  soldiers  ought  not  to  stay  and  fight  the  enemy, 
but  to  go  out  and  attack  the  trains  of  baggage  in  the  rear, 
and  worry  him  in  the  roads  he  came  by.  By  keeping  the 
Chinese  troops  lightly  loaded  with  baggage,  with  no  guns, 
they  can  move  two  to  every  one  //  the  enemy  marches. 
To-day  the  Chinese  will  be  before  him ;  to-morrow  they 
will  be  behind  him  ;  the  next  day  they  will  be  on  his  left 
hand,  and  so  on,  till  the  enemy  gets  tired  and  cross  with 
such  long  walks,  and  his  soldiers  quarrel  with  their  officers 
and  get  sick. 


108  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  The  Chinese  should  make  telegraphs  in  the  country,  as 
a  rule,  to  keep  the  country  quiet  and  free  from  false  rumors  • 
but  with  the  Chinese  soldiers  in  the  field  they  should  use 
sun  signals  by  means  of  the  heliograph.  These  are  very 
easy,  and  can  do  no  harm.  For  this  purpose  a  small  school 
should  be  made  in  each  centre, 

"  The  Chinese  ought  not  to  try  torpedoes,  which  are  very 
difficult  to  manage.  The  most  simple  torpedoes  are  the 
best  and  the  cheapest,  and  their  utility  is  in  having  many  of 
them.  China  can  risk  sowing  them  thickly,  for  if  one  of 
them  does  go  astray  and  sink  a  Chinese  junk,  the  people  of 
the  junk  ought  to  be  glad  to  die  for  their  country.  If  tor- 
pedoes are  only  used  at  certain  places,  then  the  enemy 
knows  that  he  has  to  look  out  when  near  those  places,  but 
when  every  place  may  have  torpedoes,  he  can  never  feel 
safe  ;  he  is  always  anxious  ;  he  cannot  sleep  ;  he  gets  ill  and 
dies.  The  fact  of  an  enemy  living  in  constant  dread  of 
being  blown  up  is  much  more  advantageous  to  China  than 
if  she  blew  up  one  of  her  enemies,  for  anxiety  makes  people 
ill  and  cross.  Therefore  China  ought  to  have  cheap,  simple 
torpedoes  which  cannot  go  out  of  order,  which  are  fired  by 
a  fuze,  710^  by  electricity,  and  plenty  of  them.  She  ought 
not  to  buy  expensive,  complicated  torpedoes. 

"  China  should  buy  no  more  big  gims  to  defend  her 
sea-coast.  They  cost  money.  They  are  a  great  deal  of 
trouble  to  keep  in  order,  and  the  enemy's  ships  have  too 
thick  sides  for  any  gun  China  can  buy  to  penetrate  them. 

"  China  ought  to  defend  her  sea-coast  by  very  heavy 
mortars.  They  cost  very  little.  They  are  easy  to  use. 
They  only  want  a  thick  parapet  in  front,  and  they  are  fired 
from  a  place  the  enemy  cannot  see,  whereas  the  enemy  can 
see  the  holes  from  which  gims  are  fired. 

"  The  enemy  cannot  get  safe  from  a  mortar  shot.     It  falls 


THE    COLLAPSE    OF   THE  REBELLION.  109 

on  the  deck,  and  there  it  breaks  everything.  China  can  get 
one  hundred  mortars  for  the  same  money  she  gets  one 
1 8-ton  gmi  for.     If  China  loses  them  the  loss  is  little. 

"  No  enemy  could  get  into  a  fort  which  is  defended  by 
1500  large  mortars  and  plenty  of  torpedoes,  which  must  be 
very  simple. 

"  Steam-launches,  with  a  torpedo  on  a  pole,  furnish  the 
best  form  of  movable  torpedo. 

'•'  For  the  Chinese  fleet,  small,  quick  vessels,  with  very 
little  draught  of  water,  and  not  any  great  weight  of  armor,  are 
best.  If  China  buys  big  vessels  they  cost  a  great  deal,  and  all 
her  eggs  are  in  one  basket  —  namely,  she  loses  all  her  money  at 
once.  For  the  money  of  one  large  vessel  Chma  would  get 
twelve  small  vessels.  China's  strength  is  in  the  creeks,  not 
in  the  open  sea. 

"  Nothing  recommended  in  this  paper  needs  any  change 
in  Chinese  customs.  The  army  is  the  same,  and  China 
needs  no  Europeans  or  foreigners  to  help  her  to  carry  out 
this  programme.  If  China  cannot  carry  out  what  is  here 
recommended,  then  no  one  else  can  do  so.  Besides,  the 
programme  is  a  cheap  one. 

"  With  respect  to  the  fleet,  it  is  important  to  consider 
that  in  the  employment  of  foreigners  China  can  never  be 
sure  of  them  in  case  of  a  w^ar  with  the  country  they  belong 
to  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  if  China  asks  a  foreign  power 
to  lend  her  officers,  then  the  foreign  power  who  lends  them 
will  interfere  with  China. 

"  The  question  is  — 

"  I.  Is  it  better  for  China  to  get  officers  here  and  there, 
and  nm  the  risk  of  these  officers  not  being  trustworthy,  or, 

"  2.  Is  it  better  for  China  to  think  what  nation  there  is 
who  would  be  likely  to  be  good  friends  with  China  in  good 
weather  and  in   bad  weather,  and    then   for  China  to  ask 


no  GENERAL   GORDON. 

that  nation  to  lend  China   the   officers   she  wants  for  her 
fleet? 

"  I  think  No.  2  is  the  safest  and  best  for  China. 

"  Remember,  udth  this  programme  China  wants  no  big 
officers  from  foreign  powers.  I  say  big  officers,  because  I 
am  a  big  officer  in  China. 

"  If  I  stayed  in  China  it  would  be  bad  for  China,  because 
it  would  vex  the  American,  French,  and  German  Govern- 
ments, who  would  want  to  send  their  officers.  Besides,  I 
am  not  wanted.  China  can  do  what  I  recommend  herself. 
If  she  cannot,  I  could  do  no  good. 

"  (Signed),         C.  G.  Gordon. 

"Canton,  7th  July,  1880. 

"  P.S.  —  As  long  as  Pekin  is  the  centre  of  the  govern- 
ment of  China,  China  can  never  afford  to  go  to  war  with 
any  first-class  power.  It  is  too  near  the  sea.  The  Emperor 
(Queen  Bee)  must  be  in  the  centre  of  the  hive. 

"  No  iron-clads  or  iron  gun-boats  can  help  China  till  she 
has  a  place  to  keep  them  in.  But  China  can  have  no  place 
(asylum)  to  keep  them  till  she  has  an  army. 

"  China  cannot  have  an  army  when  generals  keep  twenty 
thousand  men  and  draw  pay  for  five  thousand.  Those 
generals  ought  to  have  their  heads  cut  off. 

"(Signed),         C.  G.  G. 

"  HONG-KONG,  23d  August,  1880." 


CHAPTER  XII. 


AT   GRAVESEND. 


"There  is  no  news,  my  lord;   but  that  he  writes 
How  happily  he  lives,  how  well  beloved." 

—  Two  Gentlemen  of  Verona. 

ONE  evening,  in  the  year  1865,  a  doctor  stepped  out  of 
a  small  house  in  Gravesend,  and  entering  his  carriage, 
ordered  the  coachman  to  drive  home.  The  door  of  the 
cottage  was  closed  by  a  young  woman  with  a  pale  face,  and 
eyes  dim  with  tears,  who  held  a  baby  in  her  arms.  There 
happened  to  be  passing  at  the  moment  a  young  man,  who, 
at  a  glance,  took  in  the  whole  situation,  and  whose  natural 
insight  into  human  life  and  character,  and  power  of  imagi- 
nation, enabled  him  to  comprehend  more  than  was  revealed. 

He  stopped  at  the  cottage  door  that  had  just  been  closed, 
and  gently  tapped  it.  The  young  woman  with  the  baby 
responded  to  the  knock,  and  looked  into  the  kindly  face  of 
a  gentleman  who  was  a  stranger  to  her  and  to  Gravesend. 

"  Good  evening  ;  may  I  come  in?  " 

"  Certainly."  The  stranger  stepped  into  the  litde  room, 
put  his  hat  upon  the  table,  and  at  once  made  himself  at 
home. 

"Your  baby  is  a  fine  little  fellow.  It  is  not  the  baby 
whom  the  doctor  has  been  to  see  ?     He  looks  as  if  nothinc 


112  GENERAL    GORDON. 

had  ailed  him  since  he  was  born.  How  old  is  the  young 
man?" 

"  He  is  two  years  and  a  half,  sir.  Yes,  he  is  very  hearty, 
bless  him  !  and  never  has  anything  the  matter  with  him 
except  when  he  is  teething.  That  troubles  him  a  little,  and 
makes  him  cross.  He  has  not  had  the  measles  yet,  nor  the 
whooping-cough,  and  I  hope  he  will  not,  for  my  hands  are 
tied  so  much  at  present  that  I  don't  know  what  I  should  do 
if  I  had  any  extra  work." 

"What  is  the  matter,  then?" 

"  My  husband  is  very  ill,  sir." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  that.  From  what  complaint  is  he 
suffering?  " 

"  Oh,  he  has  been  very  bad.  He  is  a  working  man,  but 
for  some  time  he  has  not  been  able  to  work.  His  stomach 
has  been  bad;  he  has  had  such  dreadful  feelings — so  weak, 
and  sinking,  and  full  of  pain  ;  and  then  he  used  to  get  cold 
all  over,  his  skin  was  white,  and  looked  all  shrivelled  up 
and  turned  into  goose  flesh,  and  then  his  teeth  chattered, 
and  his  knees  knocked  together,  and  he  had  dreadful 
shivering  fits ;  and  he  shook  so  that  it  seemed  to  shake  the 
whole  house ;  and  his  face,  and  lips,  and  finger-nails  all 
turned  blue,  and  he  seemed  to  be  dying  of  cold,  although 
he  was  in  front  of  a  big  fire." 

"Yes,"  said  the  stranger,  smilingly;  "and  when  that  had 
passed  away  he  became  just  as  hot  as  before  he  had  been 
cold.  His  face  got  red,  and  he  had  palpitation,  and  his 
breathing  was  bad,  and  his  head  ached,  and  he  felt  as  if  it 
would  burst ;  wasn't  it  so?" 

"Yes,  it  was,  sir." 

"  And  then,  when  they  had  passed  away,  another  change 
came.  The  pain  in  his  head  and  his  back  got  better,  and 
he  broke  into  a  great  perspiration,  and  presently  felt  all 
right  again." 


AT   GRAVESEND.  113 

"  No,  sir,  not  all  right,  but  better.  The  fits  left  him  so 
awfully  weak  that  I  didn't  know  what  to  do ;  and  the  worst 
of  it  was,  that  they  were  sure  to  return  the  next  day ;  so  it 
quite  depressed  us. " 

"Yes,  your  husband  has,  or  has  had,  the  ague." 

"Yes,  that  is  what  the  doctor  calls  it.  I  never  saw  it 
before.  I  come  from  Derbyshire,  and  among  the  beautiful 
hills  there  we  don't  have  such  dreadful  diseases." 

"  Perhaps  they  will  not  always  have  them  in  Gravesend. 
When  our  people  get  more  scientific,  and  have  better 
sanitary  arrangements,  ague  will  die  out." 

"  I  hope  that  will  be  soon." 

"  I  hope  so,  too.     But  your  husband  is  better,  isn't  he  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  he  is  better,"  said  the  woman,  the  tears  again 
coming  to  her  eyes  ;  "  but  he  is  so  dreadfully  weak.  The 
doctor  has  been  scolding  me  about  it ;  he  says  he  must 
have  nourishing  things.  I  don't  know  what  to  get  him ; 
isn't  milk  nourishing,  sir?" 

"Very." 

The  strange  gentleman  had  not  looked  about  him  much ; 
he  had  seemed  to  keep  his  eyes  upon  the  woman's  face,  or 
the  baby's  form ;  but  he  had  taken  in  every  detail  of  the 
litde  room  with  its  plain  furniture,  and  he  could  not  see  a 
superfluous  article,  except  a  little  vase  that  had  probably 
cost  twopence. 

"Yes,  milk  is,  I  suppose,  one  of  the  most  nourishing 
kinds  of  food  of  which  we  can  partake.  And  it  is  cheap, 
too.     Have  you  given  your  husband  plenty  of  it?  " 

"Well,  that  is  the  worst  of  it,  sir.  He  cannot  take  milk. 
It  makes  him  sick." 

"  Ah,  then  it  is  no  use  giving  it  to  him.  Could  he  eat  a 
few  grapes?" 

"  I  dare  say  he  could,  sir.     But  grapes  are  dear." 

"  I  will  fetch  a  few ;  do  not  tell  him  until  I  come  back." 


114  GENERAL    GORDON. 

The  stranger  was  out  of  the  house  ahiiost  before  he  had 
concluded  the  sentence  ;  and  before  the  woman  had  ceased 
wondering  who  he  was,  and  why  he  had  called,  he  was  back 
again  with  a  beautiful  bunch  of  grapes  and  a  piece  of  beef. 

"You  loiow  how  to  make  beef-tea,  don't  you  ?" 

'•'  Oh,  yes,  sir.     Thank  you  ;  this  is  just  what  we  wanted." 

"  See  to  it  at  once,  and  make  it  good.  May  I  go  and  see 
your  husband?  " 

The  poor  man  scolded  a  little  when  his  wife  brought  a 
stranger  into  the  bed-room ;  but  there  was  something  in 
that  same  stranger  that  won  the  sick  man's  heart  at  once. 

"Can  you  eat  a  few  grapes?"  The  invalid's  dry  lips 
scarcely  framed  an  answer  in  words  before  the  cool,  luscious 
fruit  was  between  them. 

"  They  are  good.  They  are  the  only  nice  things  I  have 
seen  or  tasted  for  a  month." 

"  I  am  glad  you  like  them." 

"  What  beauties  they  are  !  Splendid  !  Such  grapes  do 
not  often  fall  to  the  lot  of  poor  folks.  Thank  you  for  them, 
sir." 

"  Eat  them  up.  They  won't  hurt  you,  and  you  shall  have 
some  more  when  these  are  gone." 

"  Who  are  you,  sir?     I  don't  know  you." 

"  Never  mind  who  I  am.  I  am  a  stranger.  I  have  not 
been  in  Gravesend  long." 

"  But  what  made  you  call  at  my  house,  sir?  Who  told 
you  about  me?  " 

"No  one." 

"  Rut  how  is  it  that  you  are  here." 

"  Oh,  I  saw  a  doctor's  carriage  leave  the  door,  and 
supposing  that  someone  was  ill,  I  thought  I  would  come  in 
and  see  who  it  was,  and  if  I  could  do  anything." 

The  man  looked  faint.     "  I  am  not  going  to  stay  long 


AT   GRAVESEND.  115 

this  time,  but  I  shall  come  again.  I  have  been  sent  to 
you." 

"Sent?" 

"Yes,  sent  by  God.  None  of  these  things  happen  by 
chance.  You  in  your  weakness  need  just  what  I  can  give 
you,  and  so  I  Avas  made  to  pass  your  door  just  as  the  doctor 
left  it.  Don't  you  see  that  all  this  must  have  been  arranged 
by  One  who  knows  all  things,  and  directs  events  according 
to  His  will?" 

The  sick  man  shook  his  head ;  and  the  stranger,  with  a 
kindly  smile,  left  him  to  consider  the  subject  at  his  leisure. 

He  came  again  the  next  day  with  some  more  beef  for 
beef-tea,  and  also  some  jellies  and  other  delicacies,  which 
the  poor  man  needed  more  than  medicines,  but  which  were 
quite  out  of  his  reach. 

"  How  are  you?  " 

"  Oh,  I  am  better  to-day,  sir,  thanks  to  you." 

"  No ;  thanks  not  to  me,  but  to  some  One  else.  Have 
you  thought  about  what  I  said?  " 

"  Yes,  but  I  don't  know  anything  about  these  things.  I 
am  only  a  poor  man,  and  I  have  had  to  work  hard  all  my 
hfe." 

"  And  so  have  I ;  but  I  could  not  have  worked  if  I  had 
not  had  the  assurance  that  all  things  were  under  the  control 
of  God." 

"  He  is  very  wonderful  and  very  great,  I  know." 

"  And  He  is  very  merciful  and  very  good,  /know." 

"  But  you  see,  sir,  your  life  and  mine  have  been  so  differ- 
ent." 

"  How  do  you  know  that  when  you  have  not  the  least 
knowledge  of  my  life,  and  cannot  guess  where  it  has  been 
passed,  or  what  I  have  had  to  do." 

"  But  you  are  rich." 


116  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  Am  I  ?  But  I  assure  you  that  many  a  time  I  have  not 
known  where  my  food  was  to  come  from,  nor  if  I  should 
find  a  place  in  which  to  lie  down  at  night.  But  that  is  of 
very  little  consequence.  Your  heavenly  Father  knoweth 
that  ye  have  need  of  all  these  things.  He  has  taken  care 
of  me ;  He  will  take  care  of  you." 

"  But  why  has  He  let  me  be  ill?  " 

"  How  can  I  tell  ?  You  must  wait.  Sometime,  perhaps, 
He  will  reveal  a  reason.  And  if  not,  there  is  always  left 
to  us  faith." 

The  man  found  afterwards  the  truth  of  the  stranger's 
words  ;  for  his  new  friend,  with  a  persistent  kindness  that 
astonished  the  invalid,  continued  to  bring  and  send  him 
nourishing  food,  and  occasionally  to  have  short  talks  with 
him.  By  degrees  the  man  grew  strong ;  and  as  strength 
came  back,  so  did  resignation  and  cheerfulness.  He  began 
to  read  for  himself  the  Bible  that  his  visitor  gave  him ;  and 
he  read,  not  as  a  duty  to  be  got  over  as  speedily  as  possible, 
but  as  a  delight  and  a  help ;  and  it  became  to  him  a  light 
to  his  feet  and  a  lamp  to  his  path.  When  he  met  with 
any  difficulty  he  told  it  at  once  to  his  friend,  and  the 
trouble  seemed  to  melt  away,  and  everything  appeared  plain 
and  easy  to  be  understood.  The  man's  illness  was  the  best 
thing  that  had  ever  happened  to  him,  for  when  he  went 
back  to  his  work  his  whole  life  and  character  appeared 
changed.     His  mates  met  him  with  congratulations  :  — 

"  Glad  to  see  you  back,  old  fellow.  How  are  you  getting 
on?" 

"  I  am  getting  on  well.  I  have  found  a  friend,  who  has 
been  kinder  to  me  than  a  brother." 

"Who  is  he?" 

"  He  is  the  gentleman  who  lives  at  the  Fort  House  ;  he 
has  only  lately  come  to  live  in  Gravesend." 


AT   GRAVESEND.  117 

The  gentleman  at  the  Fort  House  was  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Gordon. 

He  was  sent  to  Gravesend  to  serve  in  the  capacity  of 
Commanding  Royal  Engineer,  and  there  he  remained  from 
1865  to  187 1. 

Nothing  could  prove  more  clearly  than  his  life  there  the 
marvellous  ability  that  he  possesses  to  turn  with  facility 
from  one  kind  of  work  to  another,  and  become  well-nigh 
perfect  in  all. 

At  the  close  of  our  last  chapter  we  saw  in  him  the  master 
of  all  the  tactics  of  war,  and  the  valued  counsellor  of  the 
greatest  statesman  of  a  great  nation.  In  the  present  chapter 
we  see  in  him  the  devoted  philanthropist,  the  beneficent 
peacemaker,  the  lowly  servant  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Gravesend,  at  the  time  when  Colonel  Gordon  went  to 
reside  in  the  town,  was  still  a  very  favorite  watering-place. 
It  is  only  twenty-four  miles  from  London,  and  every 
summer  thousands  of  Londoners  resort  thither  to  enjoy  the 
salubrious  air  and  picturesque  scenery  of  the  great  river- 
port  of  England.  In  these  days  the  railways  do  such 
wonders  for  the  people,  that  they  can  be  carried  in  a  few 
hours  not  only  to  Ramsgate  and  Dover,  but  any  place  north, 
south,  east,  and  west  of  the  country ;  and  a  holiday  at 
Gravesend  has  ceased  to  be  as  great  a  treat  to  our  children 
as  it  was  to  ourselves.  It  is  still,  however,  "  the  place  to 
spend  a  happy  day,"  for  the  far-famed  Rosherville  Gardens 
have  not  lost  all  their  charms,  nor  are  the  views  from  Wind- 
mill Hill  less  interesting  than  of  old ;  while  the  steam-boat 
ride  from  London  down  the  Thames  is,  on  a  fine  summer's 
day,  full  of  enjoyment.  To  wander  about  on  the  hills,  or 
rest  on  the  piers,  or  gather  water-cress  in  the  beautiful 
streams,  or  eat  the  "  shrimps,  brown  shrimps,"  for  which 
Gravesend  is  famous,  or  to  search  for  wild   flowers  in  the 


118  GENERAL    GORDON. 

pleasant  Kentish  lanes,  or  walk  by  the  side  of  the  broad 
river  are  pleasures  that  do  not  pass  away  with  passing  years ; 
and  Gravesend  is  not  likely  to  cease  to  be  a  well-known  and 
favorite  resort  to  all,  and  especially  to  the  young  dwellers  in 
the  metropolis. 

It  was  in  the  vicinity  of  the  river  that  Colonel  Gordon 
spent  most  of  his  time,  for  it  was  his  special  duty  to  super- 
intend the  construction  of  the  Thames  defences.  This 
brought  him  into  connection  with  a  great  many  men  and 
boys  belonging  to  the  working  classes,  who  soon  found  that 
a  friend  had  come  to  live  among  them. 

To  the  boys  —  and  there  are  hundreds  of  them  engaged 
on  and  about  the  river  —  he  was  especially  kind.  Not  one 
of  those  with  whom  Gordon  came  into  contact  could  ever 
utter  the  bitter  complaint,  "  No  man  careth  for  my  soul," 
for  Gordon  cared  for  that,  and  the  body  too. 

"  Come  up  to  the  Fort  House  this  evening,"  he  would 
say,  when  he  saw  a  boy  in  trouble,  and  in  need  of  counsel 
and  help. 

The  house  was  large,  and  the  colonel's  wants  were  small ; 
there  was  in  it,  therefore,  abundant  room  and  opportunity 
for  all  kinds  of  charitable  work.  The  writer  has  quite 
lately  met  many  peoi)le  in  Gravesend,  who,  although 
thirteen  years  had  passed  since  Gordon  resided  there,  still 
say  he  was  "  the  best  man  who  ever  lived  in  Gravesend." 
In  his  home  he  lived  in  the  simplest  and  most  economical 
manner,  and  all  that  he  saved  he  distributed  with  lavish 
hand. 

"  The  furniture  in  his  bed-room,"  said  one,  "  consisted  of 
a  bed,  a  chair,  and  a  box  ;  but  he  made  many  of  the  bed- 
rooms of  the  sick  poor  beautiful  with  exquisite  flowers  and 
fruit." 

"  It  is  a  comfort  to  have  a  garden,"  said  a  poor  man  who 
was  allowed  to  walk  in  the  I'^ort  garden.     "  I  often  think  if 


AT  GRAVESEKD.  119 

I  were  rich  I  should  like  to  cultivate  my  own  potatoes  and 
green  peas.  It  would  be  a  pleasure  to  watch  them  grow, 
and  see  the  progress  they  made  from  week  to  week." 

"  But  anybody  can  do  that.  Have  you  not  a  bit  of 
ground  attached  to  your  house?" 

"  Not  a  square  yard." 

"  Very  well  then,  I  will  lend  you  a  yard  or  two  of  mine. 
Put  what  you  like  in  that  corner  yonder,  and  come  and 
gather  in  the  crop  when  it  is  ready." 

The  man  looked  into  the  merry  face  of  his  friend  to  see 
if  he  were  joking ;  but  he  knew  the  colonel  meant  it,  and  he 
took  him  at  his  word.  It  gave  the  man  and  his  family  so 
much  pleasure  that  Gordon  extended  the  privilege  to  others, 
who  are  now  only  too  glad  to  talk  of  the  gentleman  whose 
whole  life  seemed  to  be  one  of  bounty  and  generosity. 

He  had  eyes  that  were  very  quick  to  see  sorrow.  He  was 
once  watching  a  young  bricklayer  at  his  work,  when  he  per- 
ceived that  there  was  something  on  his  mind  which  was 
making  him  unhappy.  In  his  own  pleasant  way  he  soon 
entered  into  conversation  with  the  young  man,  and  almost 
before  the  latter  knew  it  he  was  pouring  out  his  tale  of  sor- 
row into  the  sympathetic  heart  of  Colonel  Gordon. 

"  Mother  has  left  us,  and  gone  away  from  home ;  and 
everything  there  is  so  miserable  that  it  is  not  like  home  at 
all." 

"  What  do  you  do  with  your  evenings?" 

"  I  cannot  do  anything  with  them,  sir.  There  is  no  light, 
no  warm  place  in  which  to  sit,  no  quiet  in  which  to  read ; 
so  I  stand  about  the  streets  when  I  have  finished  work." 

"Come  and  spend  your  evenings  at  the  Fort  House. 
You  \vill  find  books  and  papers  there,  pen  and  ink,  and 
other  lads  too." 

"Thank  you,  colonel,  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  do  that." 

So  the  young  bricklayer  became  a  nightly  visitor,  and  had 


120  GENERAL    GORDON. 

many  a  talk  with  the  colonel.  Very  happy  evenings  they 
were,  both  to  him  who  did  good  and  to  him  who  received  it ; 
for  no  one  could  be  in  the  company  of  Gordon  without  being 
morally  and  spiritually  elevated. 

One  evening  the  young  bricklayer  was  at  Fort  House  as 
usual,  when  he  was  suddenly  taken  ill,  and  haemorrhage  of 
the  lungs  set  in. 

The  colonel  at  once  sent  for  a  doctor.  He  found  the 
young  man  very  ill,  and  likely  to  continue  so  for  some  time. 
What  was  to  be  done  ?  He  could  not  be  sent  in  his  present 
state  to  his  own  miserable  home  —  that  was  not  to  be  thought 
of.  But  the  doctor  and  the  colonel  consulting  together 
decided  that  he  might  be  removed  in  a  cab  to  the  house 
of  Mrs.  Smith  (to  whom  the  writer  is  indebted  for  the 
narrative),  where  he  would  receive  all  necessary  attention. 

The  colonel  delivered  him  into  Mrs.  Smith's  charge,  giving 
the  good  Samaritan's  injunction  and  assurance,  "  Take  care 
of  him  ;  and  whatsoever  thou  spendest  more,  when  I  come 
again  I  will  repay  thee." 

He  was  not  long  before  he  came  again,  for  he  visited  him 
continually. 

"What  can  you  take?  Can  I  bring  you  anything?  "  he 
would  ask ;  and  would  never  forget  to  say  to  Mrs.  Smith, 
"  Be  sure  to  let  him  have  everything  he  fancies." 

He  bore  the  cost  of  everything,  met  the  doctor's  expenses, 
and  paid  for  the  lodgings,  and  was  constant  in  his  thoughtful 
helpfulness.  He  had  plenty  of  work  to  do,  but  could  always 
find  time  to  read  the  Bible  to  the  young  man,  who  liked  lis- 
tening to  that,  and  to  the  colonel's  talks  and  prayers,  better 
than  anything. 

At  last  the  doctor  advised  that  he  should  be  removed  to 
the  local  infirmary,  for  he  was  in  a  rapid  consumption. 

"Shall  I  see  you  there,  colonel?"  he  asked,  with  wistful 
eyes. 


AT   GRAVESEND.  121 

"  Certainly ;  I  have  a  good  many  friends  there,  and  am 
often  calling  to  see  them." 

"  I  know  that  I  am  going  to  die." 

"  But  you  are  not  afraid,  for  now  you  know  who  says, 
'  I  am  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life.'  He  will  be  as  near 
to  you  in  the  infirmary  as  here,  and  as  near  to  you  in  death 
as  in  life." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  know  Him  now ;  "  and  so  he  did,  for  as  the 
narrator  said,  "  The  colonel  had  led  him  to  Christ  by  his 
life  and  teaching." 

So  the  young  bricklayer,  who  would  do  no  more  work, 
was  taken  to  the  infirmary,  and  was  able  to  show  to  the 
patients  there  what  Christianity  could  do  for  a  dying  man. 

"  Read  the  Bible  to  me,"  he  would  say  to  the  nurse  ; 
"  there  is  nothing  like  it." 

"  But  you  are  tired." 

"  Yes,  I  am  very  tired.     I  do  long  to  go  to  Jesus." 

On  another  occasion  he  said,  "  I  can  see  such  beautiful 
sights,  like  little  peeps  into  heaven.  Can  you  see  them  ?  I 
shall  soon  be  there." 

"  Is  there  anyone  you  would  like  to  see  before  you  die  ?  " 
asked  his  good  friend,  the  colonel,  when  he  saw  the  end  was 
near, 

"  Yes,  I  should  hke  to  see  my  mother." 

So  the  mother  was  telegraphed  for,  and  arrived  in  time  to 
see  what  the  Saviour  of  the  world  is  able  to  do  for  those  who 
trust  in  Him. 

And  then  the  young  bricklayer  went  away,  as  he  was  long- 
ing to  do,  to  be  with  Jesus ;  and  to  thank  Him  for  sending 
him  a  friend  and  teacher  in  Colonel  Gordon. 

Another  incident  in  the  colonel's  life  at  Gravesend  was 
the  following :  — 

A  boy  in  the  employ  of  a  tradesman  in  Harmer  Street 
robbed  him.     The  culprit  was  discovered,  and  the   master 


122  GENERAL    GORDON. 

angrily  declared  that  he  would  send  him  to  prison.  The 
mother  of  the  boy  was  almost  heart-broken,  but  she  had 
heard  of  Colonel  Gordon,  and  knew  that,  like  his  Master,  he 
never  turned  away  from  the  sad  and  troubled  ones  who 
sought  his  help.  So,  with  all  the  mother's  earnestness,  she 
went  at  once  to  the  colonel,  and  trying  to  check  her  tears, 
she  told  him  the  story. 

"  I  cannot  understand  it,  sir ;  he  has  always  .  been  an 
honest  boy,  and  I  do  believe  that  this  is  the  first  and  the  last 
time.  If  he  could  only  have  another  chance  !  But  if  he  is 
sent  to  prison  I  am  afraid  it  will  end  in  his  ruin." 

"  I  am  afraid  it  will.  I  will  do  what  I  can  for  him.  What 
would  you  like  me  to  do?  " 

"  Oh,  sir,  if  you  would  intercede  with  his  master,  and  per- 
suade him  not  to  send  my  boy  to  jail,  I  will  be  grateful  to 
you  all  my  life  !  " 

So  the  colonel  went  to  Harmer  Street  and  saw  the  trades- 
man who  had  been  robbed.  He  was  very  angry.  He 
thought  the  boy  deserved  to  be  punished,  and  that  it  would 
do  him  good,  and  serve  him  right,  and  be  a  warning  to  him 
and  to  others,  if  he  had  a  few  months  in  prison. 

But  Gordon  pleaded  very  earnestly  for  him,  and  every  one 
respected  the  colonel,  and  was  glad  to  do  as  he  wished. 

"  What  will  become  of  the  boy?  I  cannot  keep  him  here 
now." 

'*  Oh,  no,  of  course  you  cannot.  But  if  you  will  promise 
not  to  prosecute  him,  I  will  take  charge  of  him,  and  perhaps 
we  can  make  a  man  out  of  the  rascal  yet.  At  least  I  should 
like  to  try,  if  you  will  let  me." 

"  Very  well,  colonel.  I  will  not  punish  him,  and  I  hope 
he  may  repay  your  kindness." 

"Thank  yiju  very  much." 

The  colonel  spoke  very  gravely  to  the  boy,  telling  him 
how  he  had  barely  escaped  going  to  prison,  and  pointing  out 


AT   GRAVESEND.  123 

to  him  how  he  had  broken  the  laws  of  God  as  well  as  man. 
"  But  you  shall  have  a  chance,"  he  said  ;  "  your  master  has 
kindly  forgiven  you,  and  if  you  ask  God,  He  will  forgive  you 
also.  And  I  will  help  you,  if  you  behave  well  in  the  future 
and  try  to  do  your  best.     Will  you  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir,  indeed  I  will,"  said  the  boy  through  his  tears. 

"  How  would  you  like  to  go  to  sea?  "  asked  the  colonel. 

"  I  should  like  it  very  much  indeed,  sir." 

"  Very  well.  Now  you  must  go  to  school  for  a  year.  I 
will  pay  for  you ;  and  you  must  attend  to  your  lessons,  and 
try  to  learn  as  much  as  you  possibly  can  in  the  time.  Will 
you?" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  will  try  to  be  a  good  boy  in  everything." 

"You  must  come  up  and  see  me  sometimes  at  the  Fort 
House  ;  and  you  must  spend  your  evenings  at  the  Boys' 
Home,  and  I  shall  see  you  there.  By  these  means  I  shall 
know  whether  you  are  keeping  your  promise.  If  at  the  end 
of  twelve  months  I  find  that  you  have  really  been  a  good 
boy,  then  I  will  get  you  a  berth  in  a  good  ship,  and  you  shall 
go  to  sea." 

The  boy  thanked  the  colonel,  and  so  did  his  mother ; 
and,  in  fact,  they  continue  to  do  so,  though  perhaps  he  does 
not  know  it,  to  this  day.  My  informant  says,  "  The  lad  is 
now  a  man,  and  goes  to  sea ;  while  his  mother  resides  in 
Gravesend  still.  He  has  a  good  character,  and  both  the 
mother  and  the  sailor  bless  the  name  of  Gordon,  who  saved 
the  lad  from  prison  and  the  mother  from  disgrace." 

Another  mother  residing  in  Gravesend  says  that  she  thinks 
her  son  would  never  have  recovered  from  his  illness  if  it  had 
not  been  for  the  large  amount  of  nourishment  supplied  him 
by  Colonel  Gordon.  Her  boy  was  ill  of  fever,  and  the 
colonel  bought  or  sent  everything  that  he  needed ;  and  not 
only  so,  but  visited  him,  and  read  to  him  and  prayed  with 
him  constantly  until  he  recovered.     After  he  was  better,  the 


124  GENERAL    GORDON, 

colonel  often  invited  him  to  Fort  House,  where  he  always 
had  happy  times.  The  colonel  was  the  friend  of  all  the 
family  during  the  whole  of  his  stay ;  and  when  he  went  to 
bid  them  farewell  on  leaving  Gravesend,  so  fully  had  his 
kind  heart  sympathized  with  them,  that  he  wept.  The  father 
of  the  boy,  at  that  time  a  policeman,  and  now  a  detective, 
says  he  thinks  that  "  Gravesend  never  had,  before  or  since, 
a  better  Christian  gentleman,  nor  one  so  deeply  interested 
in  young  men  and  lads." 

That  is  certainly  true,  although  Gravesend  has  had,  and 
has  still,  as  the  writer  knows  by  personal  acquaintance,  many 
earnest  Christian  workers.  One  of  the  first  established 
ragged  schools  in  the  country  was  at  Gravesend  ;  and  in  this 
school  Colonel  Gordon  was  an  indefatigable  worker.  The 
boys  loved  him,  and  honored  him  above  all  others.  There 
used  to  be  testimonies  borne  to  him  written  in  chalk  (of 
which  there  is  always  a  bit  to  be  found  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Gravesend),  ornamenting,  or  otherwise,  the  palings  and 
walls  \  such  as  these,  "  C.  G.  is  a  jolly  good  feller,"  "  God 
bless  the  Kernel,"  "Long  life  to  our  dear  teacher,  Gordon." 
In  the  ragged  school  he  always  took  the  roughest  and  the 
raggedest  boys  into  his  class,  and  taught  them  to  be  more 
gentle  in  their  manners,  and  more  honorable  and  true  in 
their  lives  and  characters. 

"  We  loved  him  so  much,"  said  a  young  man, "  that  many 
of  us  went  to  the  night  school  only  that  we  might  be  near 
him." 

A  lady  who  takes  great  interest  in  lads  at  the  present 
time  in  Gravesend,  says  that  she  visited  a  good  many  of  the 
poor  and  sick  in  that  town  with  the  colonel,  wlio  read  and 
prayed  with  ihcm,  and  always  had  some  kindness  to  show 
them  of  a  substantial  sort.  She  thinks  that  occasionally  his 
kindness  was  imposed  on.  She  remembers  with  pleasure 
the  address  which  he  gave  at  the  o2)ening  of  her  Mission 


AT   GRAVESEND.  125 

Room  in  Passenger  Court,  and  speaks  of  the  great  comfort 
which  his  presence  brought,  not  only  to  the  patients  in  the 
hospital,  but  also  to  the  poor  and  the  aged  in  the  workhouse, 
to  whom  he  not  only  spoke,  but  whom  he  cheered  with  the 
singing  of  hymns. 

Visitors  to  the  ragged  schools  are  shown  some  Chinese 
banners  which  the  colonel  left  behind  him.  One  is  his  owTi 
name,  exquisitely  worked  in  Chinese  characters.  These  are 
proudly  borne  by  the  present  Gravesend  boys  when  they 
walk  in  procession  on  Sunday-school  festivals  or  other  gala 
occasions. 

A  missionary  now  laboring  in  Gravesend  in  connection  with 
the  British  and  Foreign  Sailors'  Society,  who  has  kindly 
furnished  the  wTiter  with  some  information,  writes :  — 
"  Throughout  the  town  it  is  said  of  him,  like  the  Master,  that 
he  '  went  about  doing  good ' ;  and  as  he  never  courted  the 
praise  of  men,  only  eternity  will  disclose  the  results  of  his 
sojourn  in  Gravesend." 

Great  sorrow  was  felt  by  all  classes  when  he  left.  A 
doctor  declared  that  he  quite  missed  him,  as  whenever  he 
found  a  case  particularly  needing  attention,  he  always  com- 
mended it  to  Gordon,  and  never  in  vain.  On  one  occasion 
he  stepped  into  the  doctor's  carriage  and  asked,  — 

"  Have  you  any  work  for  me  ?  " 

"Yes,"  was  the  reply;  "there  is  a  lad  at  Perry  Street" 
(a  village  about  a  mile  from  Gravesend)  "  who  requires  a 
little  help  and  instruction." 

"  I  am  glad  of  that,"  replied  Gortlon  ;  and  he  went  to  see 
the  boy  every  evening  from  that  time,  until  he  no  longer 
needed  help. 

When  Colonel  Gordon  left  Gravesend,  the  following 
appreciative  testimony  to  his  worth  appeared  in  one  of  the 
local  papers  :  — 

"  Our  readers,  without  exception,  will  learn  Avith  regret  of 


126  GENERAL    GORDON. 

the  departure  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gordon,  C.B.,  R.E., 
from  the  town,  in  which  he  has  resided  for  six  years,  gaining 
a  name  by  the  most  exquisite  chanty  that  will  long  be 
remembered.  Nor  will  he  be  less  missed  than  remembered, 
for  in  the  lowly  walks  of  life,  by  the  bestowal  of  gifts ;  by 
attendance  and  ministrations  on  the  sick  and  dying ;  by  the 
kindly  giving  of  advice ;  by  attendance  at  the  Ragged 
School,  Workhouse,  and  Infirmary ;  in  fact,  by  general  and 
continual  beneficence  to  the  poor,  he  has  been  so  unwearied 
in  well-doing  that  his  departure  will  be  felt  by  many  as  a 
personal  calamity.  There  are  those  who  even  now  are 
reaping  the  rewards  of  his  kindness.  His  charity  was 
essential  charity,  and  had  its  root  in  deep  philanthropic 
feeling  and  goodness  of  heart ;  shunning  the  light  of 
publicity,  but  coming  even  as  the  rain  in  the  night-time, 
that  in  the  morning  is  noted  not,  but  only  the  flowers  bloom 
and  give  a  greater  fragrance.  Colonel  Gordon,  although 
comparatively  a  young  man,  has  seen  something  of  service, 
having  obtained  his  brevet  and  order  of  Companion  of  the 
Bath  by  distinguished  service  in  China.  He  is  thus 
eminently  fitted  for  his  new  post,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
but  that  he  will  prove  as  beneficent  in  his  station  under  the 
Foreign  Office  as  he  was  while  at  Gravesend ;  for  it  was 
evidently  with  him  a  natural  heart-gift,  and  not  to  be  eradi- 
cated. Colonel  Gordon's  duties  at  Gravesend  terminated 
on  the  30th  of  September,  and  by  this  time  he  is  on  his  way 
to  Galatz,  in  Turkey,  where  he  will  take  up  his  residence  as 
British  Commissioner  on  the  Danube.  He  is  succeeded  by 
Colonel  the  Hon.  G.  VVrottesley,  as  Commandant  of  Royal 
Engineers  for  the  Gravesend  district.  All  will  wish  him  well 
in  his  new  sphere  ;  and  we  have  less  hesitation  in  penning 
these  lines  from  the  fact  that  laudatory  notice  will  confer  but 
little  pleasure  ujjon  him  who  gave  with  the  heart,  and  cared 
not  for  commendation." 


w 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Gordon's  first  visit  to  the  soudan. 

"The  force  of  his  own  merit  makes  his  way; 
A  gift  that  heaven  gives." 

—  Henry  VIIL 

HAT  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  which  for  so  long 
has  been  occupying  a  prominent  position  in  our 
newspapers,  and  has  been  heard  in  fragments  of  conversation 
among  all  classes  of  people  ?  The  Soudan  is  "  the  country 
of  the  Blacks."  It  is  in  Central  Africa.  It  is  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Egypt,  and  on  the  south  by  the  Nyanza  Lakes. 
It  extends  from  the  Red  Sea  on  the  east  to  the  western 
boundary  of  Darfour  on  the  west.  Its  length  is  about  1600 
miles,  and  its  breadth  1300.  It  has  at  present  no  railways 
and  no  canals,  although  there  is  some  talk  of  making  a  rail- 
way from  Suakim  to  Berber,  If  this  were  done,  very  happy 
results  might  follow,  for  it  would  make  commerce  between 
Egypt  and  the  Soudan  possible,  and  would  bring  the  country 
of  the  Blacks  in  connection  with  the  whole  world  by  means 
of  the  Red  Sea.  At  present  the  people  take  their  journeys 
on  the  backs  of  camels,  excepting  when  the  White  Nile  is 
navigable,  as  it  is  at  certain  periods  of  the  year. 

Egypt  first  took  possession  of  the  Soudan   in   the   year 
1 81 9,  when  Ismail,  the  son  of  Mehemet  Ali,  was  sent  by  his 


128  GENERAL    GORDON. 

father  to  establish  an  Egyptian  Government  at  Khartoum, 
r^rom  the  first  the  Soudan  has  been  an  exceedingly  difficult 
land  to  maintain.  Ismail  and  his  army  managed  to  establish 
themselves  ;  but  they  had  not  been  long  in  possession  before 
the  Blacks  had  their  first  risins:.  Thev  did  not  want  the 
Egy[)tians  either  then  or  afterward.  One  of  the  native  rulers 
invited  Ismail  and  his  friends  to  dine  with  him.  He  drugged 
the  wine  which  he  gave  them  to  drink  ;  and  when  they  were 
overcome  by  its  effects,  he  set  fire  to  the  house  in  which  they 
were  feasting,  and  so  burnt  them  to  death.  Of  course,  after 
that,  the  Soudanese  were  compelled,  whether  they  wished  or 
not,  to  submit  to  Egyptian  rule  —  Senaar  and  Kordofan 
being  wrested  from  them.  In  the  year  1826  there  was  a 
Ciovernor  appointed  in  the  person  of  Khurishid  Pasha,  who 
ruled  over  Fashoda  for  eleven  years.  A  rebellion  broke  out 
in  Kassala  in  1841,  at  which  time  the  Soudan  was  divided 
into  seven  provinces  ;  and  there  was  so  much  difficulty  con- 
nected with  them  that  Said  Pasha,  when  he  visited  the 
Soudan,  was  very  much  disposed  to  give  it  up  altogether, 
but  that  a  strong  rei)resentation  was  made  to  him  to  the 
effect  that  if  he  did  this  there  would  be  constant  warfare 
between  the  tribes.  He  therefore  appointed  a  Governor; 
and  there  have  been  Governors  of  the  Soudan  ever  since. 

There  was  for  some  years  a  gradual  pushing  southward 
of  the  I'^gyptians  :  and  the  country  was  further  opened  by 
adventurous  traders,  who,  for  purposes  of  their  own,  sought 
to  traverse  the  strange  wild  region  of  which  almost  nothing 
was  known  ;  and  in  the  year  1853  the  English  Consul  for 
the  Soudan,  Mr.  John  Petherick,  succeeded  in  the  interests 
of  trade,  in  making  a  voyage  along  the  upper  waters  of  the 
White  Nile.  He  found  that  ivory  was  plentiful  and  cheap  ; 
and  henceforth  considerable  trading  was  carried  on.  At 
that  time  Egypt's  possessions  on  the  Nile  only  extended  a 


GORDON'S  FIRST   VISIT   TO    THE   SOUDAN.       129 

hundred  miles  south  of  Khartoum  ;  but  since  then  she  has 
been  rapidly  extending  her  rule,  and  the  last  conquest,  that 
of  Darfour,  has  added  many  miles  to  her  territory. 

Unfortunately  the  European  traders  did  not  long  content 
themselves  with  dealing  in  ivory,  for  they  found  that  to 
deal  in  slaves  was  very  much  more  profitable.  In  the  Bahr 
Gazelle  country  bands  of  armed  men  kept  the  posts  for  the 
traders,  so  that  their  horrible  traffic  could  be  carried  on  in 
safety.  In  the  year  i860  the  world  was  fully  aroused  to 
these  matters,  and  the  indignant  voice  of  the  people  became 
so  loud,  that  the  Europeans  could  not  for  very  shame  carry 
on  their  infamous  work.  So  they  sold  their  slave  stations 
to  the  Arabs,  who  contrived  to  keep  the  peace  with  the 
Khedive  by  paying  a  yearly  rental.  The  poor  people  who 
were  caught  and  sold  into  slavery  were  no  better  than 
before  ;  and  the  thing  itself  was,  of  course,  as  unrighteous 
as  ever.  Indeed,  the  Arabs  were  more  ruthless  than  the 
Europeans  had  been.  They  were  provided  with  arms  and 
ammunition  by  the  Egyptian  Government  and  the  Europeans 
who  had  before  held  the  posts,  and  they  stopped  at  nothing. 
They  actually  made  the  slaves  catch  each  other ;  for  they 
trained  some  boy-negroes  whom  they  had  stolen,  and  so 
taught  and  urged  them,  that  they  became  adepts  in  the  art 
of  securing  their  fellows.  The  result  of  all  this  was  to 
devastate  the  whole  district.  Captain  Speke  wrote  :  —  "The 
atrocities  committed  by  these  traders  are  beyond  civilized 
belief.  They  are  constantly  fighting,  robbing,  and  capturing 
slaves  and  cattle.  No  honest  man  can  either  trade  or  travel 
in  the  country,  for  the  natives  have  been  bullied  to  such  an 
extent  that  they  either  fight  or  run  away,  according  to  their 
strength  or  circumstances."  Dr.  Schweinfurth,  in  his  inter- 
esting work.  The  Heart  of  Africa,  writes  :  —  "  There  are 
traces  still  existing  which  demonstrate  that  large  villages  and 


130  GENERAL    GORDON. 

extensive  plots  of  cultivated  land  formerly  occupied  the 
scene  where  now  all  is  desolation.  .  .  .  The  population 
must  have  diminished  by  at  least  two-thirds." 

The  men  who  were  doing  so  much  harm  to  these  villages 
were  becoming  very  powerful  themselves,  on  account  of  their 
number  and  influence  ;  and  at  last  the  slave-dealers  set  up 
a  king  of  their  own,  and  refused  to  pay  taxes  to  the  Imperial 
Government.  The  name  of  the  man  who  ventured  to  oppose 
the  authority  of  the  Khedive  was  Sebehr  Rahama.  When 
Dr.  Schweinfurth  saw  him  he  was  surrounded  with  a  court 
that  was  little  less  than  princely  in  its  details.  .  .  ,  Special 
rooms,  provided  with  carpeted  divans,  were  reserved  as 
ante-chambers,  and  into  these  all  visitors  were  conducted 
by  richly-dressed  slaves.  .  .  .  The  regal  aspect  of  these  halls 
of  state  was  increased  by  the  introduction  of  some  lions, 
secured,  as  may  be  supposed,  by  sufficiently  strong  and 
massive  chains.  .  .  .  His  wealth  matched  even  his  supersti- 
tion. It  was  reported,  on  good  authority,  that  to  foil  the 
black  art  of  an  enemy,  whose  charms  were  a  proof  against 
lead,  he  had  25,000  dollars  melted  down  into  bullets,  as  the 
amulets  did  not  apply  to  silver. 

This  man  was  the  owner  of  thirty  fortified  posts,  and  his 
power  was  so  great  that  the  Egyptian  Government  tried  to 
check  its  growth,  and  sent  out  some  soldiers,  under  the 
command  of  an  officer  named  Ballal.  I>ut  Sebehr  brought 
a  force  to  oppose  him,  and  Ballal  was  slain,  with  some  of 
his  men.  The  Khedive  was  angry,  but  he  had  to  submit  to 
that  which  he  could  not  ])revent,  and  Sebehr  was  more  than 
ever  like  the  king  of  the  slave-dealers. 

At  last  the  Khedive  became  afraid  that  Darfour  would 
come  into  the  hands  of  Sebehr,  in  which  case  he  might  in 
time  wrest  the  whole  of  the  Soudan  from  Egypt.  He  tried 
to  secure  the  rebel  on  his  side.     He  made  him  a  I3cy,  and 


GOKDO.YS  FIRST   VISIT    TO    THE   SOUDAN.       131 

invited  him  to  join  him  in  an  expedition  to  Darfour.  The 
Sultan  of  Darfour  fell  before  the  enemy,  and  his  two  sons 
were  slain  ;  and  though  other  members  of  the  family  suc- 
ceeded, they  were  in  turn  killed,  and  Darfour  became  part 
of  the  Soudan. 

Sebehr  was  made  a  pasha,  but  he  wanted  to  be  more  than 
that. 

"  What  will  satisfy  you  ?  "  was  asked  of  him. 

"  I  have  done  the  fighting  and  won  the  victory,"  was  the 
reply;  "  I  ought  to  be  Governor-General." 

From  that  time  the  Khedive  set  his  face  against  slavery, 
although  previously  he  had  not  only  allowed  it,  but  received 
some  of  the  proceeds  arising  from  it. 

He,  therefore,  in  1869,  called  in  the  aid  of  Sir  Samuel 
Baker  to  assist  him  "  to  strike  a  direct  blow  at  the  slave 
trade  in  its  distant  nest";  and  Sir  Samuel,  in  his  celebrated 
book,  Isfitailia,  published  in  1874,  gives  a  graphic  account 
of  his  journeys  and  experiences.  We  shall  refer  to  these 
in  a  subsequent  chapter;  for  later  events  have  made  Sir 
S?.muel  Baker's  mission  appear  of  even  greater  importance 
than  it  did  —  at  all  events  as  far  as  British  interests  were 
concerned  —  when  it  was  first  undertaken. 

Sir  Samuel  Baker  undertook  the  work  with  all  its  responsi- 
bilities, and  for  the  next  four  years  worked  hard,  opening  up 
the  Nile  country  as  far  as  the  lakes,  and  doing  his  best  to 
suppress  the  slave  trade  ;  and  in  1873  ^^^  resigned  his  post. 

The  difficulty  now  was  to  find  a  worthy  successor.  But 
the  man  was  ready  when  the  time  of  need  had  coaie. 

At  the  sitting  of  the  Danubian  Commission,  in  Constanti- 
nople, Nubar  Pasha  hail  met  Colonel  Gordon,  and  was  much 
struck  by  his  ability,  force  of  character,  and  honorable  dispo- 
sition, Nubar  Pasha,  therefore,  resolved  to  consult  Gordon 
in  the  emergency  which   had  arisen ;    and   he   asked   the 


132  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Englishman  if  he  could  recommend  some  suitable  person  to 
take  the  post  vacated  by  Sir  Samuel  Baker.  Gordon  took 
time  to  consider ;  and  the  next  year  he  wrote  to  Nubar 
Pasha  to  say  that  if  the  Khedive  would  apply  to  the  English 
Government  for  him,  he  would  himself  accept  the  position 
of  Governor  of  the  tribes  of  the  Nile  Basin. 

The  Khedive  accordingly  applied  to  England,  and  Eng- 
land gave  permission  for  Gordon  to  go  to  the  Soudan  in 
order  to  assist  the  Egyptians.  The  Khedive  informed  him 
of  the  result  of  his  application,  and  then  he  said  that  he 
would  pay  Gordon  ;^io,ooo  a  year  for  his  services. 

But  Gordon  would  not  accept  so  much  money. 

"  Fix  your  own  terms,  then,"  said  the  Khedive ;  and 
Gordon  said  that  he  would  take  _;^2ooo  a  year,  as  he  be- 
lieved that  would  cover  his  expenses. 

The  Khedive  explained  his  duties.  He  was  to  endeavor 
to  put  an  end  to  the  traffic  in  slaves.  If  the  brigands  were 
willing  to  give  up  their  former  habits,  and  become  servants 
of  the  Government,  Gordon  was  to  accept  their  services, 
and  pay  them  well.  If  they  were  determined  to  follow  their 
old  course  of  life,  Gordon  wa*  to  punish  them  severely. 
Care  was  to  be  taken  that  proper  supplies  of  corn  were  at 
hand.  The  troops  were  to  till  the  land  and  raise  crops  ; 
and  if  the  seat  of  government  proved  to  be  placed  in  an 
unproductive  locality,  they  must  move  to  a  more  fertile 
region.  Gordon  was  also  to  endeavor  to  establish  some 
system  of  post-communication,  and  to  endeavor  to  get  the 
assistance  of  the  tribes  among  whom  he  was  going  to  live, 
in  order  to  help  him  in  his  efforts  to  jjut  down  the  slave 
trade. 

Gordon  went  home  for  a  short  time  before  commencing 
his  duties;  and  in  February,  1874,  he  reached  Cairo,  on  his 
way  to  commence  work. 


GORDON'S  FIRST  VISIT    TO    THE   SOUDAN.       133 

Dr.  Birbeck  Hill  has  published  in  his  book,  Colonel  Gor- 
don in  Central  Africa,  the  letters  which  Gordon  wrote 
home.  It  may  be  questioned  whether  any  man's  letters 
were  better  worth  publishing.  No  novel  is  as  interesting 
—  no  book  of  travels  more  graphic.  Added  to  his  other 
powers,  Charles  Gordon  is  one  of  the  best  letter-writers  of 
his  time :  he  is  chatty  and  pleasant,  breezy  and  bright, 
almost  all  through. 

In  his  first  letter  he  said  that  he  thought  he  saw  through 
the  affair,  and  that  the  expedition  was  a  sham  got  up  to  in- 
terest and  please  the  English  people.  But  though  he  made 
this  discovery,  he  was  hopeful  of  being  able  to  achieve  some 
good  results. 

He  spent  a  few  days  at  Cairo ;  but  he  said  that  he  and 
Nubar  Pasha  did  not  exactly  "  hit  it  off."  He  wanted  to 
travel  by  a  steamer  that  would  be  shortly  leaving  for  Suakim, 
for  by  doing  so  he  would  save  something  like  ;^400.  But 
Nubar  Paslia  did  not  like  the  new  Governor  of  Upper  Egypt 
to  go  to  his  field  of  office  and  honor  except  in  becoming 
state.  So  a  steamer  was  engaged,  and  a  number  of  servants 
provided,  and  he  started  off  with  all  the  pomp  and  ceremo- 
nial of  state. 

He,  attended  by  an  equerry  of  the  Viceroy's,  was  sent  to 
Suez  by  special  train.  But  their  journey  was  not  very  satis- 
factory. An  engine  had  run  off  the  line,  and  this  made  a 
block  on  the  railway,  which  stopped  the  special  train  in 
which  the  new  Governor  was  travelling.  There  occurred  a 
delay  of  two  hours  ;  but  though  Gordon  could  be  very  quick 
tempered  and  annoyed  by  some  things,  he  was  only  amused 
at  this.  In  relating  the  incident  he  said,  "  We  were  shunted 
into  a  common  train  with  a  great  many  people  —  begun  in 
glory  and  ended  in  shame." 

They  went  down  the  Red  Sea  to  Suakim,  and  there  were 


134  GENERAL    GORDON. 

put  in  quarantine  for  the  night.  Gordon  guessed  it  was 
because  the  governor  was  not  ready  to  receive  them.  They 
had  on  board  two  hundred  and  twenty  troops,  who  were  to 
accompany  him  across  the  desert.  This  journey  was  taken 
on  camels,  and  occupied  a  fortnight. 

On  the  13th  of  March  he  arrived  at  Khartoum.  He 
thus  describes  his  reception  :  "  The  Governor-General  met 
your  brother  in  full  uniform,  and  he  landed  amid  a  salute  of 
artillery,  and  a  battalion  of  troops  with  a  band.  It  was  a 
fine  sight.  The  day  before,  your  brother  had  his  trousers 
off,  and  was  pulling  the  boat  in  the  Nile,  in  spite  of  croco- 
diles, who  never  touch  you  when  moving.  He  cannot  move 
now  without  guards  turning  out.  I  have  got  a  good  house 
here,  and  am  very  comfortable." 

He  was  glad  to  be  told  that  the  rest  of  his  journey  would 
be  less  difficult  and  tedious  than  it  might  have  been  ;  for  the 
"sudd,"  the  undergrowth  of  vegetation  in  the  river,  had  been 
cleared  out  by  the  soldiers,  so  that  the  distance  which  had 
taken  Sir  Samuel  Baker  more  than  a  year  could  now  be 
accomplished  in  three  weeks. 

He  spent  a  few  days  in  Khartoum,  and  held  a  review ; 
besides  which  he  visited  the  hospital  and  the  schools,  to  the 
great  delight  of  the  little  black  children.  He  wrote,  "  Your 
brother's  tide  is  '  His  Excellency  General-Colonel  Gordon, 
the  Governor-General  of  the  Ecjuator';  so  no  one  can  or 
ought  to  cross  it  without  permission  of  His  Excellency." 

He  issued  a  decree  which  put  the  district  under  martial 
law,  declaring  that  the  Government  of  Egypt  had  the 
monopoly  of  the  trade  in  ivory ;  that  no  one  should  enter 
without  a  passport ;  and  that  arms  and  powder  were  not  to 
be  imported. 

He  described  the  air  as  being  so  dry  that  nothing  de- 
cayed ;  everything  was  dried  up.  The  Khartoum  people 
saluted  him  with  a  shrill  noise  that  was  vcrv  musical. 


GORDON'S  FIRST   VISIT   TO    THE   SOUDAN.       135 

They  left  Khartoum  amid  a  salute  of  artillery,  and  steamed 
up  the  Nile.  He  thought  the  crocodiles  were  dreadful- 
looking  creatures,  as  they  lay  basking  in  the  sun  with  their 
mouths  open.  Little  birds  might  always  be  seen  flying  about 
these  glistening  creatures.  There  were  large  flocks  of  geese 
and  other  birds  flying  south.  They  had  a  pleasant  journey, 
and  time  and  opportunity  were  given  to  Gordon  to  get  used 
to  his  party,  and  his  party  to  him.  His  staff  consisted  of 
Colonel  Long  of  the  United  States,  Major  Campbell  of  the 
Egyptian  staff,  Mr.  Kemp,  an  engineer,  Mr.  Linant ;  and 
Messrs.  Anson,  Russell,  and  Gessi.  Gordon  had  decided 
to  take  with  him  Abou  Saoud,  a  slave-hunter  known  as  the 
"Sultan."  No  one  approved  of  this,  but  Gordon  felt  sure 
that  he  was  right  to  take  him,  and  that  he  would  find  him 
very  useful.  He  said  that  none  but  poor  people  spoke  in 
Abou's  favor.  One  gentleman  said  that  Gordon  ought 
never  to  eat  with  him,  lest  he  should  poison  him  ;  but  lie 
felt  sure  that  the  Sultan  would  be  nothing  but  a  help  to  him. 

The  steamer  went  very  slowly,  and  they  had  time  to 
notice  the  animals  all  around  them  —  the  storks,  the  mon- 
keys, and  the  noses  of  the  hippopotami.  He  said  they 
passed  some  people  who  wore  gourds  for  head-dresses,  and 
"  also  some  Shillooks,  who  wear  no  head  or  other  dress  at 
all." 

One  night  he  was  thinking  rather  pensively  of  the  friends 
whom  he  had  left  at  home,  and  of  the  dangers  and  difficul- 
ties of  the  work  which  he  had  engaged  to  do,  when  sud- 
denly he  heard  loud  peals  of  laughter.  "  I  felt  put  out,  but 
it  turned  out  to  be  birds  who  laughed  at  us  from  the  bushes 
in  a  very  rude  way.  They  are  a  species  of  stork,  and 
seemed  in  capital  spirits,  and  highly  amused  at  anybody 
thinking  of  going  up  to  Gondokoro  with  the  hope  of  doing 
anything." 


136  GENERAL    GORDON. 

He  saw  troops  of  buffaloes,  and  camelopards  looking  like 
steeples,  and  eating  the  tops  of  the  trees.  He  said  the 
villages  looked  like  haystacks.  They  saw  a  tribe  of  Dinkas, 
and  the  chief  came  on  board,  in  full  dress  —  a  necklace  — 
who  seemed  inclined  to  salute  him  in  the  usual  way,  by 
spitting  in  his  hand.  Gordon  gave  him  some  food,  which 
he  seemed  to  enjoy,  and  after  eating  which  he  wished  to  kiss 
his  feet ;  but  the  general  would  not  allow  this,  so  he  sang  a 
hymn  of  praise  to  him  instead.  Gordon  gave  him  a  string 
of  beads  as  a  present,  with  which  the  chief  was  highly  de- 
lighted. 

The  mosquitoes  annoyed  him  very  much,  and  the  heat  was 
great,  but  they  got  on  tolerably  well.  They  passed  some 
natives  who  had  rubbed  their  faces  with  wood  until  they 
looked  like  slate-pencils  ;  and  he  gave  one  chief  a  picture 
from  the  Illustrated  London  Nezvs,  which  he  was  to  keep  to 
show  that  he  was  protected. 

At  a  place  called  Bohr  he  found  the  people  angry  because 
he  had  come  to  put  down  slavery.  But  at  St.  Croix,  a  mis- 
sionary establishment,  the  people  danced  with  joy  to  see 
him. 

At  last  there  is  this  entry  in  his  diary  :  — 

"Gondokoro,  i6th  April.  —  Got  here  to-day,  much  to  the 
surprise  of  the  people,  who  never  expected  one's  arrival  at 
all,  and  did  not  know  of  my  nomination." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

WHAT     IS     THE     SOUDAN? 

"  I  think  our  country  sinks  beneath  the  yoke; 
It  weeps,  it  bleeds ;    and  each  new  day  a  gash 
Is  added  to  her  wounds.     I  think,  withal, 
There  would  be  hands  uplifted  in  my  right 
From  gracious  England." 

—  Macbeth. 

WE  think  a  little  more  information  respecting  the  coun- 
try in  which  Colonel  Gordon  had  now  taken  up  his 
abode  will  be  interesting,  especially  to  the  young  readers  of 
this  book,  many  of  whom  are  saying,  "  Tell  us  something 
about  the  Soudan."  We  have  already  given  the  explanation 
of  the  name,  and  the  size  of  the  country,  which  is  at  present 
but  sparsely  inhabited.  It  is  a  district  full  of  romantic  in- 
terest. It  was  only  a  short  while  ago  lonely,  unknown,  and 
unexplored.  For  ages  people  have  been  reading  of  the  won- 
derful river.  The  Nile,  and  have  welcomed  all  information 
respecting  it.  For  many  years  this  amounted  to  very  little  ; 
but  Speke  and  Grant,  Sir  Samuel  Baker  and  Dr.  Schwein- 
furth,  have,  during  the  last  twenty  years,  thrown  the  light  of 
their  researches  upon  the  land  of  mystery,  and  given  us  much 
knowledge  that  we  never  possessed  before.  One  reason  why 
it  was  so  little  known  was,  that  there  were  no  roads  by  which 
it  could  be  reached.     The  only  method  of  travel  is  by  means 


138  GENERAL    GORDON. 

of  camels,  which  can  traverse  the  deserts  at  great  speed. 
Egypt  has  endeavored  to  occupy  the  Soudan  since  the  year 
1819  ;  but  it  has  cost  many  wars  to  keep  the  possession  even 
of  the  tribes  who  were  at  war  among  themselves. 

One  of  the  first  to  give  the  world  a  written  account  of  the 
Soudan  was  Mr.  John  Petherick,  whose  name  has  already 
been  mentioned.  He  entered  the  service  of  Mehemet  Ali 
Pasha,  Viceroy  of  Egypt,  in  the  year  1845.  ^^  secured  the 
necessary  stock  of  provisions  and  camels  at  Assouan,  and 
started  early  in  January,  1847,  going  first  to  Korosko  and 
then  to  Berbera,  then  to  Kordofan,  and  then  to  Khartoum. 

He  gives  some  interesting  descriptions  of  the  country  and 
the  people  of  the  Soudan. 

He  one  day  wished  to  have  a  Turkish  bath  to  refresh  him 
after  his  journey,  and  was  told  that  one  would  be  brought  to 
him.  To  his  surprise  he  found  the  bath  consisted  of  a  small 
wooden  bowl  and  a  teacup.  The  bowl  contained  dough, 
and  the  cup  sweet  oil.  The  dough  was  to  be  rubbed  into 
the  skin  to  cleanse  it,  and  the  oil,  which  was  perfumed,  was 
afterwards  applied  for  refreshment.  The  operation  was  called 
the  "dilka."  The  better  class  natives  use  the  dilka  every 
evening,  and  it  is  supposed  not  only  to  keep  them  clean,  but 
to  be  conducive  to  health. 

The  dress  of  the  Soudanese  women  is  very  simple.  They 
attire  themselves  in  dark  blue  calico,  which  they  wrap  round 
the  waist,  and  which  covers  them  down  to  the  knees.  Be- 
sides this  they  wear  a  white  muslin  veil,  which  covers  the 
head  and  the  face,  leaving  only  the  eyes  exposed.  They  are 
very  fond  of  ornaments,  especially  of  beads,  which  they  wear 
not  only  round  their  necks,  but  also  round  their  waists  and 
their  wrists.  They  further  decorate  themselves  with  neck- 
laces of  "saumeet,"  or  pieces  of  agate  an  inch  thick,  with 
alternated  colors  of  black,  brown,   and  white.     They  wear 


WHAT  IS    THE   SOUDAN?  139 

ear-rings  and  nose-rings  of  gold.  Those  in  the  ear  weigh 
half  an  ounce  each,  and  that  in  the  nose  is  so  large  as  to 
cover  the  mouth.  It  is  worn  on  the  right  side  of  the  nose. 
When  they  cannot  afford  the  gold  rings  they  put  a  piece  of 
coral  through  the  nose.  Not  only  are  the  neck,  ears,  and 
nose  ornamented,  but  the  ankles  also.  Strings  of  glass  beads, 
or  filigree  ornaments  fastened  with  a  silk  tassel,  generally 
red,  above  thick-soled  brown  leather  sandals,  adorn  the 
feet  of  the  Soudanese  girls.  The  girls  themselves  are  thus 
described  in  Petherick's  interesting  book,  Egypt:  — 

"Their  color  partakes  of  various  shades,  from  light  to 
brown,  almost  black  ;  and  although  they  scarcely  ever  wash 
—  using  the  "dilka"  instead  of  water  —  their  skin  appears 
clean  and  fresh.  The  hair,  which  never  reaches  below  the 
shoulders,  and  inclines  to  be  woolly,  is  plaited  into  a  variety 
of  forms,  but  generally  closely  to  the  head,  fitting  like  a 
skull-cap,  and  hanging  down  in  thick  masses  of  innumerable 
small  plaits  all  around  the  side  and  back  of  the  head.  An- 
other form  is  to  plait  the  hair  so  as  to  adhere  close  to  the 
top  of  the  head  as  in  the  former  case,  but  the  ends,  instead 
of  being  plaited,  are  combed  out  and  stiffened  with  a  solution 
of  grease,  forming  a  thick  bushy  circle  around  the  head. 
With  this  head-dress,  as  the  lady  only  arranges  her  hair  once 
or  twice  a-month,  she  cannot  recline  upon  a  pillow,  for  which 
she  is  obliged  to  substitute  a  small  wooden  stool,  hollowed 
out  to  fit  the  neck,  upon  which  she  reposes." 

The  houses  of  the  people  in  the  Soudan  are  as  simple  as 
their  dress,  and  more  simple  than  their  ornaments.  They 
are  built  of  sun-burnt  bricks,  plastered  with  a  composition 
made  of  manure  and  gray  sand.  There  is  generally  only  one 
large  room  in  the  house,  which  is  used  both  for  living  and 
sleeping  in,  and  a  small  one  used  as  a  lumber-room.  Often 
there  are  no  windows,  but  if  there  are  any,  they  are  placed 
in  very  high  positions. 


140  GENERAL    GORDON. 

They  call  their  bedsteads  "  angareb  "  —  a  frame  with  no 
posts,  having  strips  of  hide  drawn  across  it,  and  a  mat  of 
palm  leaves  placed  on  the  top.  There  are  no  chairs  in  the 
house  ;  but  a  few  stools  and  the  angareb  are  the  entire  fur- 
niture —  the  latter  being  the  sofa  by  day  and  the  bed  by 
night. 

Mr.  Petherick  found  some  willow  pattern  plates  and 
basins  in  some  of  the  houses,  but  generally  wooden  bowls 
are  the  utensils  used.  Water  is  the  chief  drink  of  the 
Soudanese ;  and  water  in  the  desert  is  a  great  desideratum. 
The  water  is  stowed  in  earthen  pitchers,  and  instead  of 
glasses  from  which  to  drink  it,  the  rim  of  a  gourd  is  used. 
l"he  principal  food  is  "  assida,"  which  is  maize  flour  made 
into  thick  porridge.  Each  woman  grinds  her  own,  for  which 
purpose  each  family  possesses  a  mill,  which  is  generally 
placed  in  a  separate  hut  used  as  a  kitchen.  The  mill  con- 
sists of  two  stones,  one  two  feet  in  length  and  ten  inches 
A\ide,  with  a  smooth  surface,  fixed  into  the  centre  of  a 
slightly  raised  mound  of  clay,  concave  in  shape,  so  as  to 
hold  the  flour,  and  a  smaller  stone,  which  the  woman  presses 
over  the  larger  one,  using  both  hands,  and  kneeling  the  bet- 
ter to  perform  her  work.  She  can  grind  half  a  peck  of  corn 
in  an  hour.  The  fire  over  which  the  porridge  is  boiled  is 
made  of  wood,  kept  in  its  place  by  three  large  stones  or 
lumps  of  clay.  When  the  porridge  is  cooked  sufficiently  it 
is  put  into  a  wooden  dish,  and  heaped  up  in  the  same  way 
that  our  blanc-mange  is.  It  is  eaten  with  a  sauce  of  a 
curious  vegetable  called  baymeh,  and  powdered  meat  very 
highly  seasoned.  No  spoons  are  used  ;  each  person  con- 
veys the  food  to  his  mouth  with  his  fingers.  Sometimes  the 
flour  is  made  into  thin  cakes,  and  baked  on  the  hot  ashes  as 
a  change  from  porridge  ;  but  always  the  same  kind  of  sauce 
is  eaten,  and  nearly  always  the  men  dine  first,  and  the 
women  after  they  have  finished. 


WHAT  IS    THE   SOUDAN?  141 

The  children  are  never  dressed  until  they  are  eight  or 
nine  years  old,  and  they  are  very  young  when  they  are  mar- 
ried. A  mother  carries  her  baby  on  her  left  hip  :  the  baby 
is  always  naked,  and  sits  astride. 

At  the  time  of  Petherick's  visit  the  Governor-General  of 
the  Soudan  was  Hhalid  Pasha,  and  the  Egyptian  dependen- 
cies were  Dongola,  Berbera,  Khartoum,  Sennaar,  Fazogl, 
Taker,  and  Kordofan ;  Khartoum  being  the  capital.  The 
Government  stores  were  there,  and  an  arsenal  used  for  the 
construction  and  repair  of  boats.  The  only  stone  building 
in  Khartoum  was  that  of  the  Roman  Catholic  mission. 
There  was  a  church  in  connection  with  it,  and  a  school.  At 
that  time,  with  the  exception  of  the  Roman  Catholics,  there 
were  only  five  Europeans  in  the  place.  Yet  Khartoum  was 
of  considerable  mercantile  importance.  There  was  then  no 
communication,  as  there  is  now,  by  means  of  the  Red  Sea 
from  Suakim  to  Suez  and  Cairo,  and  the  thought  of  the 
canal  had  scarcely  entered  men's  minds.  But  Manchester 
goods  were  brought  into  the  Khartoum  market  —  for  all  the 
dresses  of  the  Soudanese  were  of  cotton ;  and  there  were 
some  exports,  such  as  ivory  from  the  White  Nile,  and  gum 
arable,  ostrich  feathers,  and  beeswax  from  Abyssinia.  Round 
about  Khartoum  there  were  extensive  date  groves  and  good 
gardens  ;  and  in  the  centre  of  the  town  were  two  large 
bazaars,  where  all  the  manufactured  goods  that  were  needed 
could  be  bought.  When  the  markets  were  held,  booths  were 
erected,  and  all  sorts  of  wares  spread  out  to  tempt  the  pur- 
chaser. "  Saddles  for  all  kinds  of  beasts,  cords,  bridles, 
swords,  lances,  hoes,  hatchets,  cowry  shells,  needles,  brass 
thimbles,  oil,  odoriferous  herbs,  spices,  antimony  (called 
'rohl')  for  tinging  the  eyelashes,  pepper,  salt,  onions,  garlic, 
tobacco,  grain,  coral,  amber  beads,  ivory,  iron  bracelets,  glass 
bead  necklaces,  hedjas,  sandals,  small  looking-glasses,  gaudily 


142  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Striped  handkerchiefs,  dyed  cotton  Manchester  goods,  red- 
bordered  plain  scarfs,  and  a  thousand  other  things  were  to 
be  bought  in  the  Soudan  market." 

Merissa  is  the  favorite  drink.  It  is  intoxicating,  but 
drunkenness  is  infrequent,  and  is  looked  upon  as  a  disgrace. 
Merissa  is  made  from  grain,  either  dourra  or  duchu  (millet). 
This  grain  is  moistened,  and  then  spread  between  two  layers 
of  the  leaves  of  the  usher,  a  poisonous  plant,  which  attains 
its  greatest  perfection  in  Kordofan.  This  gives  the  merissa 
a  flavor.  The  dourra  is  then  dried  in  the  sun,  and  ground 
in  a  mill.  The  flour  is  then  mixed  with  water,  and  worked 
into  a  thick  paste.  It  is  afterwards  baked  on  a  large  earth- 
enware pan  into  thick  cakes,  which  are  next  broken  up,  put 
into  a  pot,  and  boiled  in  water.  Then,  when  the  process  of 
fermentation  is  at  its  height  a  few  days  later,  it  is  filtered 
through  bags  made  of  the  reeds  of  the  date  palm,  and  is 
ready  for  use. 

The  watermelon  is  of  great  service  to  the  Soudanese,  and 
is,  no  doubt,  not  only  more  refreshing,  but  much  more  bene- 
ficial than  merissa.  At  Kordofan  it  grows  wild,  but  if  the 
the  seeds  are  sown,  it  is  reproduced  in  large  quantities.  It 
can  be  kept  for  some  time  ;  and  the  inside  of  the  fruit  be- 
comes liquid,  and  is  such  a  good  substitute  for  water,  that 
when  the  latter  is  scarce,  as  it  is  in  the  hot  season,  both  man 
and  beast  can  live  upon  it.  Another  useful  tree  which  is 
abundant  in  the  neighborhood  of  Kordofan  is  the  baobab. 
It  grows  to  the  height  of  thirty  or  forty  feet,  and  its  immense 
trunk  and  large  branches  are  hollow.  It  flowers  in  August, 
and  is  then  covered  with  blossoms  that  look  something  like 
our  double-red  hollyhock.  Its  fruit  looks  a  little  like  a 
cocoa-nut.  But  the  most  wonderful  thing  about  these  trees 
is  that  they  form  natural  tanks,  in  which  water  is  kept.  In 
the  rainy  season  they  get  filled,  and  in  the  dry  season  the 


WHAT  IS    THE  SOUDAN?  143 

natives  tap  them,  and  find  within  them  water  enough  for  use, 
and  so  are  able  to  Hve  in  districts  where  otherwise  they 
could  not  exist  during  the  drought. 

A  great  many  of  the  trees  of  the  Soudan  are  gum- 
producing.  These  were  the  sources  of  considerable  profit 
to  the  Egyptian  government  until  it  became  a  trade,  free 
from  taxation,  and  thrown  open  to  all. 

Petherick  was  the  means  of  opening  up  the  Soudan  for 
purposes  of  trade,  especially  that  of  ivory.  In  1853  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  district  of  the  White  Nile  —  very 
little  known  in  those  days,  but  lately  become  very  famous  — 
and  began  to  see  what  could  be  done  to  establish  the  gum- 
arabic  and  ivory  trades,  of  which  the  Egyptian  Government 
no  longer  held  the  monopoly.  He  resided  at  II  Obeid,  and 
made  expeditions  from  that  place.  Petherick's  Egypt  con- 
tains the  account  of  his  voyage  up  the  White  Nile.  He  went 
beyond  the  confines  of  the  Egyptian  Government,  and  left 
behind  him  all  traces  of  civilization,  passing  primitive  for- 
ests never  disturbed  until  he  and  his  Khartoum  traders  went 
into  them  to  cut  down  the  timber  for  boat-building.  There 
were  herds  of  antelopes  and  gazelles,  and  now  and  then  a 
lion  might  be  seen.  Blue  monkeys  played  among  the 
branches,  and  flocks  of  wild  fowl,  from  the  teal  to  the  goose, 
were  plentiful.     And  so,  too,  were  the  crocodiles. 

Petherick  and  his  men  sailed  past  beautiful  islands,  with 
trees  growing  upon  them  such  as  we  have  scarcely  heard  of 
in  England  —  mimosa,  and  heglig,  and  others.  They  made 
acquaintance  with  the  strange  tribes  among  whom  afterwards 
Charles  Gordon  was  to  live — the  Djibba,  the  Dinkas,  and 
the  Shillooks  —  people  who  were  all  naked,  except  the  mar- 
ried women,  who  wore  leather  aprons  behind  and  before. 
They  were  generally  friendly,  and  willing  to  exchange  what 
they  had  for  a  few  glass  beads.     They  astonished  Mr.  Peth- 


144  GENERAL    GORDON. 

erick  by  their  mode  of  salutation,  which  was  not  shaking 
hands,  or  kissing  hands,  but  spitting  upon  the  hands. 

He  tells  an  amusing  story  of  the  way  in  which  he  pur- 
chased an  elephant  tusk  :  — 

"  My  interpreter  and  myself  seated  ourselves  opposite  to 
the  owner  of  the  tusk,  who  obstinately  retained  his  seat, 
refusing  us  an  inspection  of  it.  Placing  a  hide  on  the 
ground,  a  variety  of  beads,  cowry  shells,  and  copper  brace- 
lets were  displayed  thereon.  The  beauty  of  these  provoked 
striking  signs  of  approbation,  the  vendors  and  bystanders 
grinning  and  rubbing  their  stomachs  with  both  hands.  A 
consultation  then  took  place  between  the  party  and  his 
friends  as  to  the  relative  merits  of  the  beads,  which  resulted 
in  the  following  dialogue  :  — 

"  Vendor.  — '  Ah,  your  beads  are  beautiful,  but  the  bride 
(tusk)  I  offer  is  lovely  !  Like  yourself,  she  is  white  and 
tall,  and  worthy  of  great  price.' 

"  Self.  — '  Truly,  the  beauty  of  the  bride  is  undeniable  ; 
but  from  what  I  can  see  of  her,  she  is  cracked,  while  my 
beads  are  perfect.' 

"  Vendor. — 'The  beads  you  offer  are  truly  beautiful,  but 
I  think  they  must  have  been  gathered  before  they  were 
ripe.' 

"  Self.  — '  Oh,  no  ;  they  were  gathered  when  mature,  and 
their  color  is  peculiar  to  them,  and  you  will  find  that  they 
will  wear  as  well  as  the  best  red  ;  they  come  from  a  different 
country.' 

"  Vendor.  —  'Well,  let  me  have  some  more  of  them.' 

"  His  request  being  complied  with,  rising  from  the  tusk 
and  throwing  himself  upon  the  beads,  he  collected  them 
greedily.  At  the  same  time,  the  possession  of  the  tusk  was 
disputed  by  half-a-dozen  negroes,  stating  they  had  assisted 
to  carry  it  on  their  shoulders,  and  claimed  a  recompense. 


WHAT  IS    THE   SOUDAN?  145 

On  this  being  complied  with,  by  a  donation  to  each  man, 
another  set  of  men  came  forward,  under  the  same  pretence ; 
and  the  tusk  was  seized  by  my  men  at  one  extremity, 
whilst  they  had  hold  of  the  other,  and  in  perfect  good 
humor  struggled  for  its  possession.  At  last,  to  cut  the 
matter  short,  I  threw  handfuls  of  beads  amongst  the  crowd, 
which  resulted  in  the  immediate  abandonment  of  the  tusk 
for  a  scramble  after  them.  In  the  meantime,  the  purchase 
was  carried  off,  and  safely  lodged  on  board.  After  a  fort- 
night's sojourn,  leaving  an  establishment  of  ten  men  and  a 
stock  of  merchandise  wherewith  to  continue  barter-trade,  I 
returned  direct  to  Khartoum." 

Other  expeditions  were  made  into  the  interior,  and  in 
this  way  the  ivory  trade  was  well  and  firmly  established. 
It  was  fairly  remunerative  ;  but  another  trade  was  becoming 
possible  to  the  Soudanese,  which  was  very  much  more 
profitable,  and  that  was  the  slave-trade. 

At  Kordofan  it  had  always  been  easy  to  procure  slaves, 
for  the  station  is  so  near  to  the  homes  of  the  negroes  that 
catching  them  was  very  possible.  Mr.  Petherick  mentions 
the  fact  that  a  lad  of  fifteen  or  twenty  years  could  be 
bought  for  from  ^5  to  jQS  ;  a  girl  of  the  same  age  costing 
about  a  third  more.  This  was  a  regular  trade  then,  and 
has  been  since.  The  slave-merchants  brought  them  from 
their  native  hills,  and  sold  them  in  Kordofan.  They  were 
often  treated  kindly,  and  trained  to  do  field  and  domestic 
work.  If  they  ran  away  they  were  pursued,  and  could  be 
easily  traced  by  their  footprints  in  the  sand.  The  Arabs 
would  run  after  them  for  the  sake  of  the  reward  which  was 
offered.  They  would  soon  know  whether  the  slaves  ha<l 
fled  to  some  encampment,  hoping  for  protection,  or  were 
fleeing  from  the  encampment  in  fear ;  and  would  "  follow 
them    until,   from   various   dodges  and   attempts    to   elude 


H6  GENERAL    GORDON. 

observation,  they  became  convinced  of  their  being  on  the 
track  of  a  fugitive  negro.  The  pursuit  is  then  no  longer 
continued  in  the  heretofore  inquisitive  manner ;  but,  hke  a 
pack  of  hounds  in  full  cry,  if  the  track  is  followed  by  more 
than  one,  they  exultingly  proclaim  their  convictions,  and 
full  swing,  keeping  up  a  steady  trot,  are  off  in  pursuit.  If 
the  footprints  are  not  very  fresh,  or  if  they  show  that  the 
fugitive  is  riding  any  animal  superior  to  a  donkey,  horses 
are  immediately  resorted  to  ;  and  a  chase  after  a  fugitive 
negro  partakes  of  as  much  excitement  by  participators  and 
lookers-on  as  a  fox-hunt  creates  in  England." 

Of  course  there  could  be  no  slaves  to  run  away  if  there 
were  not  slave-traders.  Since  the  time  of  Mr.  Petherick's 
visit  the  buying  and  selling  of  slaves  has  gone  on,  and 
there  have  been  shameful  cruelties  practised,  and  terrible 
sufferings  undergone  by  the  hapless  slaves. 

In  1856,  His  Highness,  Said  Pasha,  visited  the  Soudan, 
in  order  to  inquire  into  the  abuses  that  were  reported,  and 
to  decide  as  to  its  future,  so  far  as  Egypt  was  concerned. 
He  saw  so  much  that  annoyed  and  perplexed  him,  that  he 
was  almost  inclined  to  altogether  withdraw  the  Egyptian 
protection  and  governorship  from  it.  But  a  strong  repre- 
sentation was  made  to  him  from  all  the  principal  chiefs, 
that  if  he  did  that  there  would  be  constant  war  among  the 
tribes,  and  the  si)irit  of  anarchy  would  reign  in  place  of 
order.  He  therefore  consented  to  retain  the  power  and 
responsibility  of  the  Soudan  ;  but  he  declared  that  before 
any  good  could  be  accomplished,  slavery  must  be  abolished. 
He  commanded  that  his  army  should  no  longer  be  recruited 
by  slaves ;  that  they  shotild  no  longer  be  received,  as  they 
had  been,  in  payment  of  taxes ;  and  he  himself  liberated 
large  numbers  of  slaves  from  their  bondage. 

Ikit,  in  spite  of  all  this,  slavery  is  to-day  the  great  diffi- 
culty, the  crying  evil  of  the  Soudan. 


WHAT  IS    THE  SOUDAN?  147 

Ivory  is  still  sought,  and  elephants  are  still  hunted  and 
caught  for  the  purpose ;  but  the  slaves  are  hunted  and 
caught  yet  more  fiercely.  In  the  one  case  the  animal  is 
great,  and  can  protect  itself,  even  though  eventually  it  is 
slain  for  the  sake  of  its  tusks ;  but  in  the  other,  the  poor 
wretches  are  frightened  and  starved  into  submission,  and 
there  appears  no  hope  for  them.  And  yet  there  is  hope. 
Livingstone's  last  words  called  down  blessings  upon  those 
who  should  cure  the  moral  evil  of  slavery ;  and  Gordon  may 
yet  prove  to  be  the  man  whom  God  has  appointed  to  do  the 
work.  There  is  something  picturesque  in  the  elephant 
hunt  —  the  march  through  the  bush,  the  prairie  on  fire,  the 
elephants  standing  stupefied  in  the  midst  of  the  smoke,  and 
alarmed  at  the  roar  and  the  crackling  of  flames,  the  hunters 
rushing  on  their  prey  with  a  whoop  and  a  shout,  and  then 
the  swift  lance  that  does  its  work  effectually,  and  slays  the 
animal  with  as  little  suffering  as  possible.  But  there  is  no 
picturesqueness,  nothing  but  horrible  misery  and  cruelty 
practised  toward  the  slaves.  They  are  stolen,  and  beaten, 
and  harried,  and  starved,  for  no  reason  but  that  others 
may  get  rich  —  by  no  right  but  that  of  might.  And 
England,  which  has  done  so  much  for  the  slaves,  must  do 
her  part,  if  possible,  to  crush  the  slave  trade  in  the  Soudan. 

It  was  to  do  this  that  Sir  Samuel  Baker  and  Colonel 
Gordon  were  sent  into  the  country  of  the  Blacks. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Gordon's  predecessor  in  the  soudan. 

"  Home-keeping  youth  have  ever  homely  wits; 
I  rather  would  entreat  thy  company 
To  see  the  wonders  of  the  world  abroad." 

—  Ttao  Gentlemen  of  Verona. 

IT  was  in  June,  1869,  that  His  Highness  Ismail  Pasha, 
Viceroy  of  Egypt,  paid  his  second  visit  to  England.  He 
spent  eight  days  in  our  country  ;  and  received  every  possible 
respect  from  the  English  people.  He  reached  Charing 
Cross  on  the  22d  of  June,  and  the  Prince  of  Wales  tendered 
him  a  royal  greeting  in  the  name  of  the  Queen  of  England. 
A  great  multitude  of  people  shouted  their  welcome  as  he 
drove  to  Buckingham  Palace.  He  visited  the  Metropolitan 
Railway  and  the  Thames  Embankment,  the  Zoological  Gar- 
dens and  the  Crystal  Palace.  At  the  latter  place  there  was 
a  public  festival  in  his  honor,  more  than  30,000  persons 
being  present.  The  Duke  of  Sutherland  had  provided  a 
bancjuet,  and  there  was  a  concert  of  sacred  music  in  which 
an  orchestra  and  3000  persons  took  part.  On  the  24th  of 
of  June  he  visited  the  Queen  at  Windsor  Casde.  Everyone 
united  to  show  him  respect ;  he  was  taken  in  the  royal 
saloon,  with  a  guard  of  honor,  and  as  the  train  drew  up 
to  the  station  the  band  played  the  Egyptian  National  An- 


GOJi DON'S  PREDECESSOR  IN   THE  SOUDAN.     149 

them.  The  Viceroy  and  a  select  party  of  distinguished 
guests  dined  with  Her  Majesty,  and  stayed  all  night  at  the 
castle.  The  next  day  the  Viceroy  dined  with  the  Prince  of 
Wales ;  the  Prince  and  Princess  afterward  giving  a  concert 
at  which  the  celebrated  artistes,  Madame  Patti,  Mdlle.  Chris- 
tine Nilsson,  Signor  Gardoni,  and  Mr.  Santley,  sang.  The 
Viceroy  was  entertained  with  a  review  in  Windsor  Park  on 
the  twenty-sixth ;  and  on  the  thirtieth  he  inspected  the  Fire 
Brigade  in  the  garden  of  Buckingham  Palace.  He  appeared 
greatly  delighted  with  his  visit ;  and  no  doubt  desired  that 
England  might  think  well  of  him  and  his  country. 

He  left  England  on  the  ist  of  July,  the  Prince  of  Wales 
taking  leave  of  him  at  Charing  Cross. 

His  Highness  the  Khedive  could  not  be  long  in  England, 
nor  mix  with  English  people  of  any  rank,  without  seeing  that 
the  abhorrence  of  slavery  was  one  of  the  strongest  feelings  in 
the  English  heart.  That  the  Prince  of  Wales  would  honor 
him  all  the  more  if  he  used  his  influence  to  abolish  slavery 
in  the  Soudan,  he  had  abundant  proof,  not  only  during  his 
stay  in  London,  but  also  during  the  visit  of  the  Prince  to 
Egypt.  It  will  be  remembered  that  not  only  the  Prince,  but 
the  Princess  went  to  Egypt ;  and  they  were  greatly  interested, 
and  hospitably  entertained  by  the  Khedive.  Mr.  Russell 
wrote  a  very  interesting  account  of  the  visit,  and  so  did  Mrs. 
Gray,  a  lady  who  accompanied  the  Princess. 

In  one  place  Mrs.  Gray  writes  :  —  "  The  money  spent  on 
pipes  in  this  country  must  be  fabulous  ;  they  say  that  in  the 
Viceroy's  treasury  there  are  j)ipes,  the  value  of  some  of  which 
amounts  to  no  less  than  ;^6ooo  apiece.  I  could  not  resist 
the  temptation  of  following  the  example  of  the  rest,  as  I 
thought  smoking  out  of  these  lovely  pipes  must  be  quite  dif- 
ferent from  any  other  smoking ;  but  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  soon 
found  the  taste  very  like  what  it  is  elsewhere,  and  gave  it  up 


150  GENERAL    GORDON. 

at  once.  In  fact,  I  only  tried  out  of  curiosity,  though  I  must 
confess  I  constantly  had  to  accept  a  pipe,  when  offered 
afterwards  in  the  course  of  our  tour." 

Mrs.  Gray  also  says  of  the  food  in  Egypt :  —  "  She  never 
felt  more  inchned  to  be  sick  —  two  dozen  of  dishes,  alter- 
nately sweet  and  savory,  interchanged,  apparently,  after  no 
order  reconcilable  with  European  tastes  or  notions,  many  of 
these  washed  down  by  mouthfuls  of  vinegar,  Avith  additions 
of  herbs  and  cucumber ;  moreover,  each  article  being  gener- 
ally, and  lie  rigiieur,  taken  from  the  same  dish  by  the  fingers. 
This  formed  a  combination,  doubtless,  of  the  highest  interest 
to  the  Oriental,  but  of  anything  but  interest  to  his  hungry, 
yet  patient  European  guests. 

"  The  dresses  the  princesses  wore  to-day  were  splendid, 
as  far  as  jewels  go.  One  had  on  a  white  moire-antique  dress, 
richly  embroidered  nearly  all  over  with  gold.  Another  had 
a  red  one  ;  and  blue  and  gray  were  worn  by  the  younger 
ones,  all  equally  embroidered.  The  shape  of  their  dress  was 
very  odd  :  it  seemed  to  me  equally  long  in  front  as  behind, 
where  it  formed  a  long  train.  The  skirt  was  cut  open  about 
two  feet  on  each  side,  showing  their  legs  wrapped  up  in  some 
soft  material  or  other.  The  train  in  front  was  passed  behind, 
and  their  walk  was  anything  but  graceful ;  for,  having  this 
heavy  gown  between  their  legs,  they  waddled  along  like 
ducks." 

Among  the  members  of  the  expedition  was  Sir  Samuel 
Baker,  who  had  been  specially  invited  by  the  Prince  to 
accompany  him,  and  to  whom  the  Khedive,  as  we  have 
already  mentioned,  gave  the  honor  and  the  responsibility  of 
becoming  the  Governor  of  the  Soudan,  for  the  express  purpose 
of  putting  down  the  slave  trade.  Sir  Samuel  Baker  received 
his  commission  in  the  following  terms  :  — 

"  We,  Ismail,  Khedive  of  Egypt,  considering  the  savage 
condition  of  the  tribes  which  inhabit  the  Nile  Basin  : 


GORDON'S  PREDECESSOR  IN  THE   SOUDAN.     151 

"  Considering  that  neither  government,  nor  laws,  nor 
security  exists  in  those  countries  : 

"  Considering  that  humanity  enforces  the  suppression  of 
the  slave-hunters  who  occupy  those  countries  in  great 
numbers  : 

"  Considering  that  the  establishment  of  legitimate  com- 
merce throughout  those  countries  will  be  a  great  stride 
towards  future  civilization,  and  will  result  in  the  opening  to 
steam  navigation  of  the  great  equatorial  lakes  of  Central 
Africa,  and  in  the  establishing  a  permanent  government : 

"  We  have  decreed,  and  now  decree  as  follows  :  — 

"  An  expedition  is  organized  to  subdue  to  our  authority 
the  countries  situated  in  the  south  of  Gondokoro ; 

"  To  suppress  the  slave  trade ;  to  introduce  a  system  of 
regular  commerce ; 

"  To  open  to  navigation  the  great  lakes  of  the  equator  ; 

"  And  to  establish  a  chain  of  military  stations  and  com- 
mercial depots,  distant  at  intervals  of  three  days'  march, 
throughout  Central  Africa,  accepting  Gondokoro  as  the  base 
of  operations  : 

"  The  supreme  command  of  this  expedition  is  confided  to 
Sir  Samuel  White  Baker,  for  four  years,  commencing  from 
I  St  of  April,  1869  :  to  whom  also  we  confer  the  most  absolute 
power,  even  that  of  death,  over  all  those  who  may  compose 
the  expedition  : 

"  We  confer  upon  him  the  same  absolute  and  supreme 
authority  over  all  those  countries  belonging  to  the  Nile 
Basin  south  of  Gondokoro." 

This  was  a  very  large  and  important  commission,  but  it 
could  scarcely  have  been  given  to  a  more  suitable  man  ;  for 
Sir  Samuel  Baker  had  already  visited  the  Soudan,  and  made 
himself  acquainted  with,  not  only  the  country,  but  the  peoples 
who  inhabit  it. 


152  GENERAL    GORDON. 

In  1 86 1,  when  those  two  great  pioneers  of  African  travel 
—  Speke  and  Grant  —  were  pursuing  their  lonely  journeys 
and  making  their  remarkable  discoveries,  they  one  morning 
walked  into  Gondokoro.  They  were  on  their  way  to  call 
upon  a  Circassian  merchant  named  Kurshid  Agha,  and  they 
saw  hurrying  towards  them  an  Englishman.  They  had  been 
on  the  look-out  for  Mr.  Petherick,  whom  we  referred  to  in 
our  last  chapter,  and  who  had  been  despatched  with  supplies 
to  the  help  of  the  illustrious  travellers.  They  had  heard  of 
him  a  few  days  before,  when  a  very  black  man  named 
Mahamed  had  rushed  at  them,  throwing  himself  into  Speke's 
arms,  and  begun  to  hug  and  kiss  him. 

"  Who  is  your  master?  "  asked  Speke. 

"  Petherick,"  was  the  reply. 

"And  where  is  Petherick  now?" 

"  Oh,  he  is  coming." 

"  How  is  it  you  have  not  got  English  colors,  then?" 

"  The  colors  are  Debono's," 

"Who  is  Debono?" 

"  The  same  as  Petherick." 

This  man  promised  to  take  the  travellers  to  Petherick, 
but  delayed  so  long  that  they  left  him  and  went  on  their 
journey.  W'hen,  therefore,  in  Gondokoro  they  saw  the 
Englishman,  they  concluded  that  he  was  Petherick.  But 
another  had  come  out  in  search  for  them  —  namely,  Mr., 
now  Sir  Samuel  Baker,  and  it  was  with  them  they  were,  to 
their  great  delight,  shaking  hands. 

Speke  said  aftenvards  :  —  "  What  joy  this  was  I  can  hardly 
tell.  We  could  not  talk  fast  enough,  so  overwhelmed  were 
we  both  to  meet  again.  Of  course  we  were  his  guests  in  a 
moment,  and  learned  everything  that  could  be  told.  I  now 
first  heard  of  the  death  of  His  Royal  Highness  Prince 
Albert,  which  made   me   reflect  on  the  inspiring  words  he 


GOKDON'S  rKEDECESSOR  IN   THE   SOUDAN.      153 

made  use  of,  in  compliment  to  myself,  when  I  was  in  Eng- 
land. Then  there  was  the  terrible  war  in  America,  and  other 
less  startling  events  which  came  on  us  all  by  surprise  ;  as  years 
had  now  passed  since  we  had  received  news  of  the  civilized 
world." 

Baker  showed  them  the  greatest  kindness,  and  he  con- 
tinued the  work  which  they  had  begun.  Sir  Samuel  Baker 
was  accompanied  by  his  wife.  No  white  woman  had  ever 
before  been  seen  in  those  regions,  and  it  is  quite  possible 
that  Lady  Baker,  who  possesses  great  personal  attractions, 
as  well  as  tact,  ability,  and  imperturbable  courage,  contrib- 
uted more  than  a  little  to  the  success  of  the  expedition. 

Sir  Samuel  Baker  was  at  Berber,  on  the  Nile,  for  the  first 
time  in  May,  1862.  Berber  is  a  town  of  considerable  size 
and  importance,  lying  in  the  direct  caravan  route  between 
Cairo  and  Khartoum.  He  made  his  way  to  the  latter  place, 
and  reached  it  a  year  later,  having  visited  all  the  Nile  tribu- 
taries of  Abyssinia — the  Atbara,  Settite,  Salaam,  Angrab, 
Rahad,  Binder,  and  the  great  Blue  Nile. 

Next  he  went  to  the  distant  south  to  accomplish  one  of 
the  greatest  of  his  life-works  —  viz.,  to  discover  the  White 
Nile  source. 

Even  then,  and  at  the  very  commencement  of  his  labors, 
he  got  an  insight  into  the  slave  trade  which  fitted  him  for 
the  work  he  was  aftenvards  to  undertake  in  the  Soudan. 

There  was  another  eminent  traveller  who,  a  little  later, 
achieved  the  success  which  he  and  Sir  Samuel  Baker  alone 
of  all  the  explorers  had  won,  of  penetrating  Africa  from 
north  to  south  —  Dr.  George  Schweinfurth.  We  have 
already  referred  to  his  book,  The  Heart  of  Africa.  Schwein- 
furth was  born  at  Riga  in  1836,  and  took  his  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Philosophy  at  Berlin.  During  his  school  life  he 
was  under  the  care  of  a  teacher  whose  father  was  a  mission- 


154  GENERAL    GORDON. 

ary  in  South  Africa.  Schweinfurth  seemed  to  have  born 
with  him  a  passionate  love  of  botany,  and  in  1863  he  went 
to  Egypt  and  travelled  as  far  as  Khartoum.  He  made  sub- 
sequent journeys,  and  by  his  discoveries  of  many  kinds  added 
greatly  to  the  interest  felt  in  the  Soudan,  and  the  knowledge 
which  is  possessed  respecting  it. 

It  will  be  seen  that  Sir  Samuel  Baker  was,  of  all  men,  the 
best  that  could  have  been  sent  on  the  mission.  He  took 
with  him  some  troops  and  the  provisions  they  were  likely  to 
require,  also  some  steamers  and  sailing  vessels.  It  was  a 
great  mass  of  heavy  material,  and  would  have  to  be  trans- 
ported for  a  distance  of  about  three  thousand  miles,  four 
hundred  of  which  would  be  across  the  scorching  Nubian 
deserts. 

On  the  8th  February,  1870,  he  wrote  in  his  journal  — 
"  My  original  programme  —  agreed  to  by  His  Highness  the 
Khedive,  who  ordered  the  execution  of  my  orders  by  the 
authorities  —  arranged  that  six  steamers,  fifteen  sloops,  and 
fifteen  diahbeeahs  should  leave  Cairo  on  the  loth  of  June 
to  ascend  the  cataracts  to  Khartoum,  at  which  place  Djiaffer 
Pasha  was  to  prepare  three  steamers  and  twenty-five  vessels 
to  convey  1650  troops,  together  with  transport-animals  and 
supplies. 

"The  usual  Egyptian  delays  have  entirely  thwarted  my 
plans.  No  vessels  have  arrived  from  Cairo,  as  they  only 
started  on  29th  August.  Thus,  rather  than  turn  back,  I 
started  with  a  mutilated  expedition  without  a  sini::;le  transport 
animal.''  But  although  he  started  at  such  a  disadvantage, 
his  expedition  was  altogether  a  splendid  one.  He  had 
all  kinds  of  things  to  do  —  to  make  a  canal  in  one  place, 
to  cut  down  the  "  sudd  "  in  another,  to  warn  Kutchuk  Ali,  a 
great  Khartoum  ivory  and  slave  dealer,  to  send  no  more 
slaves  down,  and   to  punish   the  desertion  of  his  soldiers. 


GORDON'S  PREDECESSOR  IN   THE  SOUDAN.     155 

He  discovered  the  Governor  of  Fashoda  in  the  act  of  kid- 
napping slaves,  for  he  found  seventy-one  slaves  concealed  in 
a  boat,  and  eighty-four  hidden  and  guarded  on  the  shore  ; 
and  he  liberated  the  captives,  to  their  great  joy.  This  was 
followed  by  similar  actions  in  other  places. 

Sir  Samuel  Baker  explored  the  old  White  Nile,  and  at 
Gondokoro  he  officially  annexed  the  country  to  Egypt, 
having  invited  all  the  head  men  to  be  present.  The  troops 
and  artillery  formed  into  a  square  round  a  flag-staff  which 
was  in  the  centre,  and  from  the  foot  of  which  was  read  the 
official  proclamation,  which  described  the  annexation  of  the 
country  to  Egypt  in  the  name  of  the  Khedive.  The  Otto- 
man flag  was  then  run  up,  after  which  the  officers  saluted  it 
with  drawn  swords,  the  troops  presented  arms,  and  the 
artillery  fired  a  royal  salute.  At  dinner  they  had  roast  beef 
and  plum  pudding — the  latter  had  been  brought  out  in  tins 
for  Christmas  day,  but  as  it  could  not  be  found  then,  the 
author  of  Ismailia  says  it  was  added  to  the  feast  on  the  "  day 
of  annexation,"  and  was  "  annexed  accordingly  by  English 
appetites.  This  was  washed  down  and  rendered  wholesome 
by  a  quantity  of  pure  filtered  water  from  the  river  Nile, 
which  was  included  in  the  annexation,  and  was  represented 
in  the  Nile  Basin,  mixed  with  Jamaica  rum,  sugar,  nutmeg, 
and  lemon-juice  from  the  trees  planted  by  the  Austrian 
missionaries." 

This  regulation  was  posted  :  — 

"  No  person  shall  trade  in  ivory,  neither  shall  any  person 
accept  ivory  as  a  present  or  in  exchange  ;  neither  shall  any 
person  shoot,  or  cause  to  be  shot,  elephants,  all  ivory  being 
the  property  and  monopoly  of  the  Government  of  Elis  High- 
ness the  Khedive  of  Egypt. 

"No  person  shall  either  j)urchasc  or  receive  slaves  as 
presents  or  in  exchange. 


156  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  Any  person  transgressing  by  disobedience  of  the  above 
laws  will  be  punished  as  the  will  of  Baker  Pasha  may 
direct." 

The  new  arrangements  did  not  please  the  Baris,  and  force 
had  to  be  used.  Besides  that,  the  cause  they  had  at  heart 
was  hindered  by  Abou  Saood,  who  had  himself  profited  by 
the  slave  trade.  The  expedition  suffered  from  scarcity  of 
food,  and  from  the  half-heartedness  of  the  troops,  the 
treachery  of  the  slave-hunters,  and  the  opposition  of  the 
Baris  who  were  constantly  at  war  with  them  ;  but  the  brave 
commander  kept  ever  before  him  his  commission  —  he  was 
to  suppress  the  slave  trade  and  annex  the  equatorial  districts. 

He  had  with  him  a  body-guard  of  very  fine  men,  which 
became  famous  as  the  "  Forty  Thieves  "  corps.  These  men 
were  brave  and  vahant ;  and  at  the  last,  in  spite  of  their 
name,  so  honest  that  they  would  scorn  to  commit  a  theft. 
They  overcame  innumerable  difficulties ;  travelling  south  to 
Lobor^,  thence  to  the  Shooa  Mountain,  and  on  through  the 
"  Paradise  of  Africa  "  to  Fatiko,  and  thence  to  Unyoro  and 
Masindi,  about  twenty  miles  from  the  Albert  Nyanza.  Here 
Baker  set  up  a  seat  of  government,  and  endeavored  to  make 
the  chief  or  king,  Rabba  Rega,  understand  that  he  must 
submit  to  the  Khedive,  and  use  his  influence  to  establish 
a  system  of  merchandise  with  the  north,  the  route  to  which 
had  now  being  opened.  Unyoro  was  annexed  to  Egypt 
officially  in  the  name  of  the  Khedive,  on  the  14th  of  May, 
1872.  Every  effort  was  made  to  cultivate  the  law,  to  estab- 
lish commerce,  to  open  a  school,  and  to  bring  about  improve- 
ments of  many  kinds.  But  the  little  party  was  continually 
in  danger ;  the  troops  were  poisoned,  and  a  battle  had  to  be 
fought  at  Masindi.  Even  that  did  not  compel  submission, 
or  make  the  natives  less  treacherous.  Baker  himself  had  a 
narrow  escape  from  a  poisoned  arrow,  and  the  natives  set 


GORDON'S  PREDECESSOR  IN    THE   SOUDAN.     157 

several  places  on  fire.  At  last  Baker  was  compelled  to  leave 
the  station  and  go  on  to  Kionga.  As  they  were  preparing  to 
march,  and  wondering  what  they  were  to  do  for  food,  Lady 
Baker  awakened  the  gratitude  of  the  whole  expedition  by 
showing  a  quantity  of  flour,  which,  when  it  was  plentiful,  she 
had  stored  for  a  hungry  day  that  might  come.  The  dis- 
covery brought  a  shout  of  joy  from  the  officers  and  men,  — 
"  God  shall  give  her  a  long  life." 

The  story  of  the  march  of  Sir  Samuel  Baker  from 
Masindi  to  Foweera,  as  told  in  Isffiaiiia,  is  one  of  the  most 
exciting  that  has  ever  been  written.  Every  one  should  read 
it  in  order  to  understand  the  perils  and  the  protection  which 
attended  the  mission.  At  last  the  task  was  completed  :  and 
the  brave  Englishman  had  accomplished  that  which  he  had 
been  sent  to  do.  He  was  thankful  for  peace,  and  rest,  and 
victory.  It  was  not  his  fault  if,  after  he  had  suppressed 
the  slave  trade,  the  Government  allowed  it  to  be  revived. 
He  was  able  to  say  with  satisfaction  that  he  had  "  rendered 
the  slave  trade  of  the  White  Nile  impossible,  so  long  as  the 
Government  is  determined  that  it  shall  be  impossible."  And 
he  gave  up  his  commission  in  generous  words  when  he  said, 
"  The  Khedive  of  Egypt,  having  appointed  Colonel  Gordon, 
R.E.,  has  proved  his  determination  to  continue  the  work 
that  was  commenced  under  so  many  difficulties.  The  Nile 
has  been  opened  to  navigation  ;  and  if  the  troubles  that 
I  encountered  and  overcame  shall  have  smoothed  the  path 
for  my  able  and  energetic  successor,  I  shall  have  been  well 
rewarded." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE   SLAVE   TRADE   IN   THE   SOUDAN. 

"  We  do  pray  for  mercy, 

And  that  same  prayer  doth  teach  us  all  to  render 

The  deeds  of  mercy." 

—  Merchant  of  Venice. 

WE  left  Colonel  Gordon  at  Gondokoro,  but  he  only- 
stayed    there  a  few  days.      His  luggage    had  not 
come,  and  he  returned  to  Khartoum. 

The  latter  town,  Khartoum,  which  has  a  population  of 
25,000,  is  the  capital  of  the  Soudan.  It  lies  at  the  junction 
of  the  Blue  and  White  Niles.  Khartoum,  at  that  time,  was 
said  to  live  on  what  was  called  the  White  Nile  Trade.  Sir 
Samuel  Baker  thus  described  the  town,  and  the  slave  trade, 
connected  with  it,  as  they  were  at  his  first  visit  in  1863  : 
"  Without  the  White  Nile  Trade,"  said  Sir  Samuel,  "  Khar- 
toum would  almost  cease  to  exist ;  that  trade  is  kidnapping 
and  murder.  The  character  of  the  Khartoumers  needs  no 
further  comment. 

"The  amoimt  of  ivory  brought  down  from  the  White 
Nile  is  a  mere  bagatelle  as  an  export,  the  annual  value 
being  ;;^4o,ooo.  The  people  for  the  most  part  engaged  in 
the  nefarious  traffic  of  the  White  Nile  are  Syrians,  Copts, 
Turks,  Circassians,  and  some  few  Europeans.  So  closely 
connected  with  the  difficulties  of  my  expedition  is  that  ac- 


THE  SLAVE    TRADE  IN    THE   SOUDAN.  159 

cursed  slave  trade,   that   the    so-called  ivory  trade  of  the 
White  Nile  requires  an  explanation. 

"  Throughout  the  Soudan  money  is  exceedingly  scarce,  and 
the  rate  of  interest  exorbitant,  varying,  according  to  the 
securities,  from  thirty-six  to  eighty  per  cent. ;  this  fact  proves 
general  poverty  and  dishonesty,  and  acts  as  a  preventive  to 
all  improvement.  So  high  and  fatal  a  rate  deters  all  honest 
enterprise,  and  the  country  must  lie  in  ruin  under  such  a 
system.  The  wild  speculator  borrows  upon  such  terms, . 
to  rise  suddenly  like  a  rocket,  or  to  fall  like  its  exhausted 
stick. 

"  Thus,  honest  enterprise  being  impossible,  dishonesty 
takes  the  lead,  and  a  successful  expedition  to  the  White  Nile 
is  supposed  to  overcome  all  charges.  There  are  two  classes 
of  White  Nile  traders  —  the  one  possessing  capital,  the  other 
being  penniless  adventurers  ;  the  same  system  of  operation  is 
pursued  by  both,  but  that  of  the  former  will  be  evident  from 
the  description  of  the  latter. 

"  A  man  without  means  forms  an  expedition,  and  borrows 
money  for  this  purpose  at  one  hundred  per  cent.,  after  this 
fashion  ;  he  agrees  to  pay  the  lender  in  ivory,  at  one-half  its 
market  value.  Having  obtained  the  required  sum  he  hires 
several  vessels,  and  engages  from  one  hundred  to  three  hun- 
dred men  composed  of  Arabs  and  runaway  villains  from  dis- 
tant countries,  who  have  found  an  asylum  from  justice  in  the 
obscurity  of  Khartoum.  He  purchases  guns  and  large  quan- 
tities of  ammunition  for  his  men,  together  with  a  few 
hundred  pounds  of  glass  beads.  The  piratical  expedition 
being  complete,  he  pays  his  men  five  months'  wages  in  ad- 
vance, at  the  rate  of  forty-five  piastres  (nine  shillings)  per 
month,  and  agrees  to  give  them  eighty  piastres  per  month 
for  any  period  exceeding  the  five  months  advanced.  His 
men   receive   their   advance  partly  in   cash   and   partly  in 


160  GENERAL    GORDON. 

cotton  stuffs  for  clothes,  at  an  exorbitant  price.  Every  man 
has  a  strip  of  paper,  upon  which  is  written,  by  the  clerk 
of  the  expedition,  the  amount  he  has  received,  both  in  goods 
and  money ;  and  this  paper  he  must  produce  at  the  final 
settlement. 

"  The  vessels  sail  about  December,  and  on  arrival  at  the 
desired  locality,  the  party  disembark  and  proceed  into  the 
interior,  until  they  arrive  at  the  village  of  some  negro  chief, 
with  whom  they  establish  an  intimacy.  Charmed  with  his 
new  friends,  the  power  of  whose  weapons  he  acknowledges, 
the  negro  chief  does  not  neglect  the  opportunity  of  seek- 
ing their  alliance  to  attack  a  hostile  neighbor.  Marching 
throughout  the  night,  guided  by  their  negro  hosts,  they 
bivouac  within  an  hour's  march  of  the  unsuspecting  village 
doomed  to  an  attack,  about  half  an  hour  before  the  break 
of  day.  The  time  arrives,  and  quietly  surrounding  the  vil- 
lage while  its  occupants  are  still  sleeping,  they  fire  the  grass 
huts  in  all  directions,  and  pour  volleys  of  musketry  through 
the  flaming  thatch.  Panic-stricken,  the  unfortunate  victims 
rush  from  their  burning  dwellings,  and  the  men  are  shot 
down  like  pheasants  in  a  battue,  while  the  women  and  chil- 
dren, bewildered  in  the  danger  and  confusion,  are  kidnapped 
and  secured.  The  herds  of  cattle,  still  within  their  kraal,  or 
'zareeba,'  are  easily  disposed  of,  and  are  driven  off  with 
great  rejoicing  as  the  i)rize  of  victory.  The  women  and 
children  are  then  fastened  together,  the  former  secured  by 
an  instrument  called  a  sheba,  made  of  a  forked  pole,  the 
neck  of  the  prisoner  fitting  into  the  fork,  secured  by  a  cross- 
piece  lashed  behind,  while  the  wrists,  brought  together  in 
advance  of  the  body,  are  tied  to  the  pole.  The  children 
are  then  fastened  by  their  necks  with  a  rope  attached  to  the 
women,  and  thus  form  a  living  chain,  in  which  order  they 
are  marched  to  the  head-quarters  in  company  with  the  cap- 
tured herds. 


THE   SLAVE    TRADE  IN   THE   SOUDAN.  161 

"  This  is  the  commencement  of  business ;  should  there 
be  ivory  in  any  of  the  huts  not  destroyed  by  the  fire,  it  is 
appropriated  ;  a  general  plunder  takes  place.  The  trader's 
party  dig  up  the  floors  of  the  huts  to  search  for  iron  hoes, 
which  are  generally  thus  concealed,  as  the  greatest  treasure 
of  the  negroes  ;  the  granaries  are  overturned  and  wantonly 
destroyed,  and  the  hands  are  cut  off  the  bodies  of  the  slain, 
the  more  easily  to  detach  the  copper  or  iron  bracelets  that 
are  usually  worn.  With  this  booty,  the  traders  return  to 
their  negro  ally;  they  have  thrashed  and  discomfited  his 
enemy,  which  delights  him ;  they  present  him  with  thirty  or 
forty  head  of  cattle,  which  intoxicates  him  with  joy ;  and  a 
present  of  a  pretty  little  captive  girl,  of  about  fourteen,  com- 
pletes his  happiness. 

"  But  business  is  only  commenced.  The  negi-o  covets 
cattle,  and  the  trader  has  now  captured,  perhaps,  two  thou- 
sand head.  They  are  to  be  had  for  ivory,  and  shortly  the 
tusks  appear.  Ivory  is  daily  brought  into  camp  in  exchange 
for  cattle,  a  tusk  for  a  cow,  according  to  its  size  —  a  profita- 
ble business,  as  the  cows  Have  cost  nothing.  The  trade 
proves  brisk,  but  still  there  remains  some  little  customs  to 
be  observed  —  some  slight  fonnalities,  well  understood  by 
the  White  Nile  trade.  The  slaves  and  two-thirds  of  the 
captured  cattle  belong  to  the  trader,  but  his  men  claim,  as 
their  perquisite,  one-third  of  the  stolen  animals.  These 
having  been  divided,  the  slaves  are  put  up  to  public  auction 
among  the  men,  who  purchase  such  as  they  require  ;  the 
amount  being  entered  on  the  papers  (serki)  of  the  pur- 
chasers, to  be  reckoned  against  their  wages.  To  avoid  the 
exposure,  should  the  document  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
Government  or  Euro])ean  consuls,  the  amount  is  not  entered 
as  for  the  purchase  of  a  slave,  but  is  divided  for  fictitious 
supplies.     Thus,  should  a  slave  be  purchased  for  one  thou- 


162  GENERAL    GORDON. 

sand  piastres,  that  amount  would  appear  on  the  document 
somewhat  as  follows  :  — 

Soap 50  Piastres. 

Tarboash  (cap) 100  " 

Araki 500  « 

Shoes 200  " 

Cotton  Cloth 150  " 


ICXX> 


"  The  slaves  sold  to  the  men  are  constantly  being  changed 
and  re-sold  among  themselves ;  but  should  the  relatives  of 
the  kidnapped  women  and  children  wish  to  ransom  them, 
the  trader  takes  them  from  his  men,  cancels  the  amount  of 
purchase,  and  restores  them  to  their  relatives  for  a  certain 
number  of  elephants'  tusks,  as  may  be  agreed  upon.  Should 
any  slave  attempt  to  escape,  she  is  punished  either  by  brutal 
flogging,  or  shot,  or  hanged,  as  a  warning  to  others.  An 
attack,  or  razzia,  such  as  described,  generally  leads  to  a 
quarrel  with  the  negro  ally,  who,  in  his  turn,  is  murdered 
and  plundered  by  the  trader — his  women  and  children 
naturally  becoming  slaves.  A  good  season  for  a  party  of  a 
hundred  and  fifty  men  should  produce  about  two  hundred 
cantars  (twenty  thousand  lbs.)  of  ivory,  valued  in  Khartoum 
at  four  thousand  pounds. 

"  The  men  being  paid  in  slaves,  the  wages  should  be  nil, 
and  there  should  be  a  surplus  of  four  or  five  hundred  slaves 
for  the  trader's  own  profit  —  worth,  on  an  average,  five  to 
six  pounds  each. 

"  The  boats  are  accordingly  packed  with  a  human  cargo, 
and  a  portion  of  the  trader's  men  accompany  them  to  the 
Soudan,  while  the  remainder  of  the  party  form  a  camp  or 
settlement  in  the  country  they  have  adopted,  and  industri- 
ously plunder,  massacre,  and   enslave,  until   their  master's 


THE  SLAVE    TRADE  IN   THE   SOUDAN.  163 

return  with  boats  from  Khartoum  in  the  following  season, 
by  which  time  they  are  supposed  to  have  a  cargo  of  slaves 
and  ivory  ready  for  shipment.  The  business  thus  thoroughly 
established,  the  slaves  are  landed  at  various  points  within  a 
few  days'  journey  of  Khartoum,  at  which  places  are  agents, 
or  purchasers,  waiting  to  receive  them  with  dollars  prepared 
for  cash  payments. 

"  The  purchasers  and  dealers  are,  for  the  most  part,  Arabs. 
The  slaves  are  marched  across  the  country  to  different  places  ; 
many  to  Sennaar,  where  they  are  sold  to  other  dealers,  who 
sell  them  to  the  Arabs  and  Turks.  Others  are  taken  im- 
mense distances  to  ports  on  the  Red  Sea  —  Suakim,  and 
Massowa  —  there  to  be  shipped  for  Arabia  and  Persia. 
Many  are  sent  to  Cairo  ;  and,  in  fact,  they  are  disseminated 
throughout  the  slave-dealing  east,  the  White  Nile  being  the 
great  nursery  for  the  supply.  The  amiable  trader  returns 
from  the  White  Nile  to  Khartoum ;  hands  over  to  his 
creditor  sufficient  ivory  to  liquidate  the  original  loan  of 
;;^i,ooo;  and  already  a  man  of  capital,  he  commences  as 
an  independent  trader." 

The  previous  chapter  has  shown  how  Sir  Samuel  Baker 
resolutely  set  his  face  to  abolish  the  trade  which  was  so 
hateful  to  him. 

He  felt  sure  that  the  Khedive  was  sincere  in  his  desire 
that  it  should  be  put  down  :  how  could  he  be  otherwise  ? 
when  he  knew,  not  only  as  a  humanitarian,  but  because  he 
was  acquainted  with  the  sentiments  of  the  Great  Powers  of 
Europe,  that  civilization  demanded  the  extinction  of  such 
horrors.  But,  of  course,  this  could  not  be  accomplished 
without  great  difficulty  and  loss ;  and  it  may  be  that  Europe 
will  yet  have  to  speak  out  in  unmistakable  tones  before  the 
great  evil  is  swept,  as  it  ought  to  be,  from  the  face  of  the 
Soudan. 


164  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  This  latter  thought  the  thing  real,  and  found  it  a  sham, 
and  felt  like  a  Gordon  who  had  been  humbugged,"  wrote  Sir 
Samuel's  successor,  almost  as  soon  as  he  had  started  on  the 
expedition. 

Gordon  found  that  even  when  he  visited  Khartoum  the 
difficulties  which  beset  his  predecessor  were  his  also.  The 
slave  stations  remained,  and  the  slave  trade  was  still  carried 
on. 

Gondokoro  had  been  at  some  time  a  mission  station. 
Baker  found,  during  his  first  visit,  that  the  ruins  of  the  brick 
church  and  house  were  still  remaining,  and  he  could  see 
where  the  garden  had  been.  A  few  miserable  grass  huts 
were  all  that  formed  a  town,  and  the  ivory  traders  had  pos- 
session of  it.  The  natives  of  Gondokoro  are  the  Bari.  The 
men  are  tall,  and  the  women  plain-looking.  Livingstone 
once  said  of  some  women  he  was  describing  :  —  "  Many  of 
the  women  were  very  pretty,  and,  like  all  ladies,  would  have 
been  much  prettier  if  they  had  only  let  themselves  alone." 
The  Bari  women  who  live  in  Gondokoro  are  not  pretty,  but 
they  do  not  let  themselves  alone.  They  shave  their  heads, 
and  anoint  themselves  with  an  ochre  made  into  a  paste  by 
an  admixture  of  grease.  All  that  they  wear  is  a  lappet  made 
of  beads,  or  small  iron  rings  worked  up  like  a  coat  of  mail  in 
front,  and  a  tail  of  fine  shreds  of  leather  behind.  These  are 
fastened  by  a  belt  worn  round  the  waist.  Gondokoro  was 
neither  a  healthy  nor  a  pleasant  town  in  which  to  reside.  Sir 
Samuel  I'aker  found  that  the  Baris,  who  were  warlike  peo- 
ple, had  been  secured  as  allies  by  the  slave-hunters,  and  were 
very  valuable.  "  They  were  i)cople,"  said  he  in  Ismailia, 
"  by  whom  the  blessings  of  a  good  government  were  hardly 
to  be  understood." 

When  Gordon  was  passing  between  Khartoum  and  Gon- 
dokoro he  made  acquaintance  willi  the  strange  tribe  called 


THE  SLAVE    TRADE  IN   THE   SOUDAN.  165 

the  Shillooks.  These  people  have  been  aheady  referred  to. 
They  were  miserable  enough  as  our  hero  found  them ;  but 
they  had  been  a  very  powerful  tribe  —  indeed,  the  most  pow- 
erful of  the  Blacks  on  the  banks  of  the  White  Nile.  Their 
dwellings  are  mud  huts,  thatched,  having  a  very  small  entrance, 
looking  at  a  distance  like  rows  of  button  mushrooms.  They 
navigate  the  river  on  their  raft-like  canoes,  formed  of  the 
ambatch  wood,  which  is  so  light  they  can  very  easily  carry 
their  vessels  about.  The  ambatch  tree  is  about  the  thickness 
of  a  man's  waist,  and  tapers  to  a  point ;  it  is,  therefore,  easily 
cut  down,  and  several  of  them  being  lashed  parallel  to  each 
other,  and  the  ends  tied  together,  the  raft  is  made.  It  was 
supposed  to  carry  two  persons. 

The  Shillooks  are  shrewd  traders,  and  they  are  industrious, 
being  clever  at  agriculture,  pasturage,  fishing,  and  the  chase. 
Their  country  is  easily  cultivated,  because  the  soil  is  natur- 
ally fertile,  and  is  benefited  by  rainy  seasons,  numerous 
canals,  and  the  rising  of  the  river.  It  is,  indeed,  more  moist 
and  less  hot  than  most  of  the  surrounding  districts.  They 
grow  cotton,  which,  in  its  raw  state,  they  are  glad  to  exchange 
for  cotton  goods.  They  also  cultivate  large  quantities  of 
dhurra  and  maize.  Their  domestic  animals  are  oxen,  sheej), 
and  goats  ;  and  they  also  keep  poultry  and  dogs,  especially 
dogs.  The  dogs  are  like  our  greyhounds  in  shape  and  our 
pointers  in  size.  They  are  of  a  foxy  red  color,  with  a  long, 
black  muzzle.  They  are  so  fleet  that  they  outrun  the  gazelle, 
and  so  agile  that  they  can  spring  over  walls  ten  feet  high,  or 
leap  over  a  space  four  times  the  length  of  their  own  bodies. 

The  male  Shillooks  do  not  wear  clothing,  but  cover  their 
bodies  with  ashes.  They  pay  great  attention  to  the  arrange- 
ment of  their  hair.  Dr.  Schweinfurth  says  that  "  amongst 
the  men  the  repeated  application  of  clay,  gum,  or  dung,  so 
effectually  clots  the  hair  together,  that  it  retains,  as  it  were. 


166  GENERAL    GORDON. 

voluntarily,  the  desired  form  ;  at  one  time  like  a  comb,  at 
another  hke  a  helmet,  or  it  may  be,  like  a  fan.  Many  of  the 
Shillook  men  present  in  this  respect  a  great  variety.  A  good 
many  wear  transversely  across  the  skull  a  comb  as  broad  as  a 
man's  hand,  which,  like  a  nimbus  of  tin,  stretches  from  ear  to 
ear,  and  terminates  behind  in  two  drooping  circular  lappets. 
Occasionally  there  are  heads  for  which  one  comb  does  not 
suffice,  and  on  these  several  combs,  parallel  to  one  another 
at  small  intervals,  are  arranged  in  lines.  There  is  a  third 
form,  far  from  uncommon,  than  which  nothing  can  be  more 
grotesque.  It  may  be  compared  to  the  crest  of  a  guinea- 
fowl,  of  which  it  is  an  obvious  imitation,  just  as  among  our- 
selves many  a  way  of  dressing  the  hair  would  seem  to  be 
designed  by  taking  some  animal  form  of  a  model." 

The  Shillooks  greatly  need  some  religious  instruction.  It 
seems  as  if  they  have  some  dim  idea  of  God,  for  they  speak 
of  the  Father  of  their  race,  and  believe  that  his  hand  guided 
them  to  their  place  of  abode,  and  gave  them  the  land  which 
they  possess.  They  pray  to  him  for  a  good  harvest,  and  call 
upon  him  in  their  time  of  trouble,  and  perhaps  hope  that 
"  the  unknown  God,"  whom  they  ignorantly  worship,  may 
pity  and  love  them.  They  have  old  traditions  and  legends 
among  them,  and  they  imagine  that  their  dead  are  still 
among  them  like  ministering  spirits. 

Colonel  Gordon  was  kind  to  the  Shillooks,  and  soon  made 
friends  with  them.  Those  that  he  saw  at  the  entrance  of 
the  Saubat  River  were  poor,  and  he  gave  them  some  grain 
for  their  present  needs,  and  also  some  maize  to  plant. 

He  became  acquainted  about  the  same  time  with  another 
curious  tribe,  that  of  the  Dinkas.  Their  territory  extends 
north  and  south  of  the  river  Saubat  for  nearly  four  hundred 
miles,  and  there  embraces  an  area  of  nearly  seventy  thousand 
square  miles. 


THE   SLAVE    TRADE  IN  THE   SOUDAN.  167 

Dr.  Schweinfurth  has  an  interesting  chapter  in  his  work, 
The  Heart  of  Africa,  on  The  Dinka,  and  he  gives  illustra- 
tions of  "  Dinka  profiles,"  a  "  Dinka  Dandy,"  Dinka  instru- 
^  ments  for  parrying  club-blows,  a  view  of  a  Dinka  cattle-park, 
and  some  pictures  of  the  Dinka  cattle. 

The  Dinka  houses  are  curious  little  round  huts,  situated  in 
a  farm  or  park.  They  call  them  the  murah,  which  means  a 
resting-place,  and  has  more  reference  to  the  animals  than 
the  men.  The  Dinkas  take  great  care  of  their  cows.  There 
is  a  kitchen  in  the  hut  with  a  fire-place  in  it ;  a  screen  of 
clay  keeps  the  wind  off.  Goats  are  kept  at  hand,  in  a  space 
fenced  off.  Some  of  the  huts  are  forty  feet  in  diameter ; 
their  foundations  are  made  of  clay  and  straw,  chopped  in 
small  portions.  The  roof  is  made  of  acacia  wood  and  cut 
straw ;  the  buildings  last  for  eight  or  ten  years.  The  Dinkas 
cultivate  sorghum  and  penicillaria. 

The  Dinkas  are  very  dark,  chocolate-colored,  or  bronze  ; 
they  have  long  necks  and  wide  jaws ;  the  men  have  their 
heads  shaven.  They  pierce  their  ears,  and  fasten  in  them 
iron  rings,  or  little  bars  of  iron ;  and  the  women  bore  the 
upper  lip,  and  fit  in  an  iron  pin  running  through  a  bead. 
The  men  tattoo  their  foreheads  and  temples.  The  Dinkas 
hold  iron  in  very  high  estimation.  The  richer  women  are 
often  quite  heavily  laden  with  iron.  Dr.  Schweinfurth  de- 
clares that  he  has  seen  some  of  them  carrying  about  on  their 
persons  quite  half-a-hundredweight  of  iron  ornaments.  They 
wear  immense  iron  rings  on  their  ankles  and  wrists,  which 
clatter  like  the  fetters  of  slaves.  Men  prefer  ivory  rings, 
which  they  wear  on  the  upper  part  of  their  arms.  Those 
who  can  afford  to  do  so  cover  their  arms  with  rings  of  vari- 
ous sizes  and  kinds,  which  are  put  so  that  they  touch  each 
other,  and  quite  encase  the  arms.  On  the  neck  they  wear 
plaited  leather,  and  bracelets  made  of  the  hide  of  the  hippo- 


163  GENERAL    GORDON. 

potami,  and  tails  of  cows  and  goats.  The  Dinka,  indeed, 
likes  to  ornament  with  these  things  not  only  his  person,  but 
also  the  weapons  which  he  uses.  He  has  very  little  hair  on 
his  head,  and  therefore  does  not  dress  it  up  as  the  Shillooks 
do,  so  he  makes  a  cap  or  head-piece  of  bugle  beads  or  ostrich 
feathers.  When  he  loses  a  relative  he  goes  into  mourning 
by  wearing  a  cord  round  the  neck. 

The  Dinkas  use  clubs  and  sticks  in  warfare,  and  they  have 
several  kinds  of  shields,  or  instruments  for  parrying  the 
blows  of  clubs.  "  They  are  of  two  kinds.  One  consists  of  a 
neatly  carved  piece  of  wood,  rather  more  than  a  yard  long, 
with  a  hollow  in  the  centre,  which  protects  the  hand.  They 
are  called  '  quayre.'  The  other,  which  has  been  mistaken 
for  a  bow,  is  termed  '  dang,'  of  which  the  substantial  fibres 
seem  peculiarly  fitted  for  breaking  the  violence  of  any  blow." 

The  Dinkas  are  cleaner  in  their  habits,  and  in  the  prepa- 
ration of  food,  than  most  tribes.  Dr.  Schweinfurth  thinks 
they  are  more  intellectual  and  refined  than  any  other  tribe 
in  Africa.  Their  farinaceous  and  milk  foods  are  not  inferior 
to  those  we  use  in  England.  They  take  great  pains  in  the 
reaping,  thrashing,  and  sifting  of  their  grain.  "  In  seasons 
of  scarcity  their  talent  for  cooking  has  led  them  to  the  dis- 
covery of  various  novelties  in  the  way  of  food."  They 
behave  well  at  the  table  ;  not  dipping  their  hands  in  the  dish 
all  at  once,  but  one  at  a  time.  A  large  dish  of  farinaceous 
food  is  placed  in  the  centre.  Each  guest  reclines  around  it, 
and  has  a  gourd  shell  of  milk  or  butter  at  his  side.  He 
pours  milk  on  the  portion  he  intends  to  take,  and  then 
passes  it  on  to  his  neighbor. 

Snakes  are  common  among  the  Dinkas ;  indeed,  they 
inhabit  their  huts,  and  are  looked  upon  with  friendliness,  if 
not  reverence.  The  Dinkas  call  tiiem  their  brethren.  The 
Dinkas  make  soup  of  turtles,  and  are  very  particular  as  to 


THE   SLAVE    TRADE   IN   THE   SOUDAN.  169 

the  kind  of  flesh  they  eat.  They  will  not  touch  the  flesh  of 
the  dog,  but  consider  that  of  the  cat  to  be  a  delicacy.  They 
also  greatly  esteem  the  flesh  of  the  hare. 

It  seems  a  very  great  pity  that  the  Dinkas  could  not  be 
left  to  themselves,  to  live  their  harmless  lives  as  they  pleased 
in  their  own  country ;  but  Sir  Samuel  Baker  found  a  great 
change  in  the  aspect  of  things  when  he  went  the  second 
time  to  the  Soudan. 

"Although  this  country  was  exceedingly  rich  in  soil,  it  was 
entirely  uninhabited  on  one  side  (the  east)  of  the  river. 
This  had  formerly  been  the  Dinka  country ;  but  it  had  been 
quite  depopulated  by  razzias  made  for  slaves  by  the  former 
and  present  governors  of  Fashoda.  These  raids  had  been 
made  on  a  large  scale,  with  several  thousand  troops,  in 
addition  to  the  sharp  slave-hunters,  the  Baggara  Arabs,  as 
allies.  The  result  was  almost  the  extermination  of  the  tribe. 
It  seemed  incomprehensible  to  the  Shillook  natives  that  a 
Government  that  had  lately  made  slave-hunting  a  profession 
should  suddenly  turn  against  the  slave-hunters."  ^ 

Perhaps  in  this  connection  we  may  recall  some  words  of 
Dr.  Livingstone  on  the  general  results  of  slave-capturing :  — 

"  I  came  near  the  party  of  Said-bin-habib,  close  to  the 
point  where  a  huge  rent  in  the  mountains  of  Rua  allows  the 
escape  of  the  river  Lualaba  out  of  the  Lake  Moero ;  and 
here  I  had,  for  the  first  time,  an  opportunity  of  observing 
the  differences  between  slaves  and  freemen  made  captives. 
When  fairly  across  Lualaba,  Said  thought  his  captives  safe, 
and  got  rid  of  the  trouble  of  attending  to  and  watching  the 
chained  gang  by  taking  off  both  chains  and  yoke.  All 
declared  their  joy  and  perfect  willingness  to  follow  Said  to 
the  end  of  the  world  or  elsewhere ;  but  next  morning 
twenty-two  made  clear  off  to  the  mountains.  Many  more, 
^ Isniailia,  vol.  i.,  p.  iii. 


170  GENERAL    GORDON. 

on  seeing  the  broad  Lualaba  roll  between  them  and  the 
homes  of  their  infancy,  lost  all  heart,  and  in  three  days  eight 
of  them  died.  They  had  no  complaint  but  pain  in  the 
heart,  and  they  pointed  out  its  seat  correctly.  This  to  me 
was  the  most  startling  death  I  ever  saw.  They  evidently 
died  of  broken-heartedness,  and  the  Arabs  wondered,  seeing 
that  they  had  plenty  to  eat.  I  saw  others  perish,  particularly 
a  fine  boy  of  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age.  When  asked  where 
he  felt  ill,  he  put  his  hand  correctly  and  exactly  over  the 
heart.  He  was  kindly  carried,  and  as  he  breathed  out  his 
soul,  was  laid  gently  on  the  side  of  the  path.  The  captors 
were  not  usually  cruel :  they  were  callous  —  slavery  had  har- 
dened their  hearts. 

"  When  Said,  who  was  an  old  friend  of  mine,  crossed  the 
Lualaba,  he  heard  that  I  was  in  a  village  where  a  company 
of  slave  traders  had  been  previously  assaulted  for  three  days 
by  justly-incensed  Babemba.  I  would  not  fight,  nor  allow 
my  people  to  fire,  if  I  saw  them,  because  the  Babemba  had 
been  especially  kind  to  me.  Said  sent  a  party  of  his  own 
people  to  invite  me  to  leave  the  village  by  night  and  come  to 
him.  He  showed  himself  the  opposite  of  hard-hearted  ;  but 
slavery  hardens  all  within,  and  petrifies  the  feelings  ;  it  is  hard 
for  the  victims,  and  hard  for  the  victimizers. 

"  I  once  saw  a  party  of  twelve  who  had  been  slaves  in  their 
own  country — Lundaor  Londa — of  which  Cazembe  is  chief 
in  general.  They  were  loaded  with  large,  heavy,  wooden 
yokes,  which  are  forked  trees,  about  three  inches  in  diameter, 
and  seven  or  eight  feet  long.  The  neck  is  inserted  in  the 
fork,  and  an  iron  bar  driven  in  across  from  one  end  of  the 
fork  to  the  other,  and  riveted  ;  the  other  end  is  tied  at  night 
to  a  tree,  or  to  the  ceiling  of  a  hut,  and  the  neck  being  firm 
in  the  fork,  the  slave  is  held  off  from  unloosing  it.  It  is 
excessively  troublesome  to  the  wearer,  and  when  marching, 


THE   SLAVE    TRADE  IN   THE   SOUDAN.  171 

two  yokes  are  tied  together  by  their  free  ends,  and  loads  put 
on  the  slaves'  heads  besides.  Women,  having  in  addition 
to  the  yoke  and  load,  a  child  on  their  back,  have  said  to  me 
in  passing,  '  They  are  killing  me.  If  they  would  take  off  the 
yoke,  I  could  manage  the  load  and  child,  but  I  shall  die  with 
the  loads.'  One  who  spoke  this  did  die,  and  the  poor  little 
girl,  her  child,  perished  of  starvation.  I  interceded  for  some  ; 
but,  when  unyoked,  off  they  bounded  into  the  long  grass,  and 
I  was  greatly  blamed  for  not  caring  to  preserve  the  owner's 
property.  After  a  day's  march  under  a  boiling  vertical  sun, 
with  yokes  and  heavy  loads,  the  strongest  are  exhausted. 

"  The  party  of  twelve  above-mentioned  were  sitting  singing 
and  laughing.  '  Hallo,'  said  I, '  these  fellows  take  to  it  kindly ; 
this  must  be  the  class  for  whom  philosophers  say  slavery  is 
the  natural  state  ; '  and  I  went  and  asked  the  cause  of  their 
mirth.  I  had  to  ask  the  aid  of  their  owner  as  to  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  rukha,  which  usually  means  to  fly  or  leap. 
They  were  using  it  to  express  the  idea  of  haunting,  as  a  ghost, 
and  inflicting  disease  and  death,  and  the  song  was,  '  Yes,  we 
are  going  away  to  Manga,  abroad  in  the  white  man's  land, 
with  yokes  on  our  necks,  but  we  shall  have  no  yokes  in  death  ; 
and  we  shall  return  to  haunt  and  kill  you.'  A  chorus  then 
struck  in  with  the  name  of  the  man  who  had  sold  each  of 
them,  and  then  followed  the  general  laugh,  in  which  at  first 
I  saw  no  bitterness.  Peraube,  an  old  man,  had  been  one  of 
the  sellers.  In  accordance  with  African  belief,  they  had  no 
doubt  of  being  soon  able,  by  ghost  power,  to  kill  even  him. 
Their  refrain  might  be  rendered  ;  — 

"  '  Oh,  oh,  oh  ! 

Bird  of  freedom,  oh ! 

You  sold  me,  oh,  oh,  oh ! 

I  shall  haunt  you,  oh,  oh,  oh  !  ' " 

Dr.  Livingstone's  books  had  been  read  by  Colonel  Gordon  ; 


172  GENERAL    GORDON. 

and  his  kind  heart  was  again  and  again  touched  with  pity  for 
the  slaves.  He  related  in  one  of  his  letters,  in  his  own  waj^, 
an  incident  which  occurred  during  his  stay  at  Saubat,  which 
was  so  beautiful,  that  to  read  of  it  must  have  brought  tears 
into  the  eyes  that  read  the  letter.  It  does  not  refer  to  a 
slave,  but  it  reveals  the  heart  of  the  man  who  had  come  to 
live  among  them. 

Colonel  Gordon's  character  is  an  illustration  of  the  com- 
bination, in  a  remarkable  degree,  of  both  strength  and  tender- 
ness. The  latter  quality,  which  was  so  strongly  brought  into 
play  at  Gravesend,  must  have  been  filling  his  heart  in  his 
lonely  life  at  Saubat.  "  People  are  dull  in  England,"  he  said  ; 
"but,  oh,  dear  me  !  how  dull  they  would  be  here." 

But  he  relieved  the  tediousness  of  his  life  by  gracious  acts 
of  mercy,  as  the  following  —  which  deserves  to  be  written  in 
gold  —  shows  :  — 

"  I  took  a  poor  old  bag-of-bones  into  my  camp  a  month 
ago,  and  have  been  feeding  her  up  ;  but  yesterday  she  was 
quietly  taken  off,  and  now  knows  all  things.  She  had  her 
tobacco  up  to  the  last,  and  died  quietly.  WTiat  a  change 
from  her  misery  !  I  suppose  she  filled  her  place  in  life  as 
well  as  Queen  Elizabeth.  ...  A  wretched  sister  of  yours 
is  struggling  up  the  road,  but  she  is  such  a  wisp  of  bones 
that  the  wind  threatens  to  overthrow  her ;  so  she  has 
hailed,  preferring  the  rain  to  being  cast  down.  I  verily 
l)elieve  she  could  never  get  up  again.  I  have  sent  her  some 
dhoora,  which  will  produce  a  spark  of  joy  in  her  black  and 
withered  carcass.  She  has  not  even  a  cotton  gown  on,  and 
I  do  not  think  her  apparel  would  be  worth  one-fiftieth  part 
of  a  penny. 

"  August  4.  —  T  am  bound  to  give  you  the  sequel  of  the 
lady  whom  I  helped  yesterday  in  the  gale  of  wind.  I  had 
told  my  man  to  see  her  into  one  of  the  huts,  and  thought 


THE   SLAVE    TRADE  IN   THE   SOUDAN.  173 

he  had  done  so.  The  night  was  stormy  and  rainy,  and 
when  I  awoke  I  heard  often  a  crying  of  a  child  near  my 
hut,  within  the  enclosure.  When  I  got  up  I  went  out  to 
see  what  it  was,  and,  passing  through  the  gateway,  I  saw 
your  sister  and  my  sister  lying  dead  in  a  pool  of  mud  ;  her 
black  brothers  had  been  passing  and  passing,  and  had  taken 
no  notice  of  her.  So  I  went  and  ordered  her  to  be  buried, 
and  went  on.  In  the  midst  of  the  high  grass  was  a  baby 
about  a  year  or  so  old,  left  by  itself.  It  had  been  out  all 
night  in  the  rain,  and  had  been  left  by  its  mother  —  children 
are  always  a  nuisance  !  I  carried  it  in,  and  seeing  the  corpse 
was  not  moved,  I  sent  again  about  it,  and  went  with  the  men 
to  have  it  buried.  To  my  surprise  and  astonishment,  she 
was  alive.  After  some  considerable  trouble,  I  persuaded  the 
black  brothers  to  lift  her  out  of  the  mud,  poured  some 
brandy  down  her  throat,  and  got  her  into  a  hut  with  a  fire, 
having  the  mud  washed  out  of  her  sightless  eyes.  She  was 
not  more  than  sixteen  years  of  age.  There  she  now  lies  ;  I 
cannot  help  hoping  she  is  floating  down  with  the  tide  to  her 
haven  of  rest.  The  babe  is  taken  care  of  by  another  family 
for  a  certain  consideration  of  maize  per  diem.  I  dare  say 
you  will  see  —  in  fact,  I  feel  sure  you  will  see  —  your  black 
sister  some  day,  and  she  will  tell  you  about  it,  and  how 
Infinite  Wisdom  directed  the  whole  affair.  I  know  this  is  a 
tough  morsel  to  believe,  but  it  is  true.  I  prefer  life  amidst 
sorrows,  if  those  sorrows  are  inevitable,  to  a  life  spent  in 
inaction.  Turn  where  you  will,  there  are  sorrow  and  troubles. 
Many  a  rich  person  is  as  unhappy  and  miserable  as  this  rag  of 
mortality,  and  to  them  you  can  minister.  *  This  mustard  is 
very  badly  made,'  was  the  remark  of  one  of  my  staff  some 
time  ago,  when  some  of  our  brothers  were  stalking  about 
showing  every  bone  in  their  poor  bodies." 

"  August  5 .  —  The  Rag  is  still  alive.     The  babe,  who  is 


174  GENERAL    GORDON. 

not  a  year  old,  seized  a  gourd  of  milk  and  drank  it  off  like 
a  man  last  night,  and  is  apparently  in  for  the  pilgrimage  of 
life.  It  does  not  seem  the  worse  for  its  night  out  —  depraved 
little  wretch." 

"  August  5.  —  Just  a  line.  Your  black  sister  departed  this 
life  at  four  p.m.,  deeply  lamented  by  me." 

The  humor  and  tenderness  of  the  man  are  well  exhibited 
in  this  letter.  As  for  the  strength  of  mind,  promptness  of 
action,  and  uncompromising  hatred  of  slavery,  which  he  also 
possesses,  they  were  brought  into  play  as  soon  as  he  reached 
the  Soudan. 

He  had  gone  to  put  down  slavery,  and  of  course  he  meant 
to  do  it  as  far  as  it  was  in  his  power. 

He  was  not  long  in  making  the  discovery  that  slave-trading 
was  carried  on  ;  and  when  Nassar,  a  slave  dealer,  whose 
practices  were  reported  to  him,  came  upon  the  scene^  he 
promptly  arrested  him.  He  said  that  Nassar  was  a  miser- 
able creature,  but  he  had  one  good  point,  for  "  when  he  was 
taken  to  prison  he  prayed  very  fervently  with  the  knowledge 
that  God  could  help  him." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

HURRIYAT    (liberty). 

"  There  is  a  kind  of  character  in  thy  life 

That  to  the  observer  doth  thy  history 

Fully  unfold." 

—  Measure  for  Measure. 

COLONEL  GORDON  had  not  been  long  in  the  country 
of  the  Blacks  before  many  of  his  staff  fell  ill ;  and 
he  expressed  himself  very  glad  to  have  for  his  body-guard 
Baker's  Forty  Thieves.  He  declared  that  he  had  made  it 
knowTi  that  the  motto  of  the  province  was  Hurriyat  —  which 
means  liberty  ;  and  that  in  regard  to  the  expedition  and  his 
management,  those  who  did  not  like  it  were  at  liberty  to 
leave  it.  But  his  people  had  no  license  to  do  wrong ;  and 
he  soon  discovered  that  Abou  Saood,  whom  he  had  been 
disposed  to  trust,  was  altogether  untrustworthy. 

Sir  Samuel  Baker  had  known  this  all  along,  and  was  sur- 
prised and  pained  by  his  appointment ;  for  Abou  Saood 
had  been  the  greatest  slave-hunter  of  the  White  Nile,  and 
almost  the  most  troublesome  man  with  whom  he  had  had 
to  deal.  He  was  the  representative  of  the  great  firm  of 
traders,  Agad  &  Co. ;  and  he  was  "  the  incarnation  of  the 
slave  trade''  It  was  he  who  attempted  to  poison  Baker 
and  his  men,  and  he  who  had  urged  Kabba  Rega  to  attack 
them.  He  set  false  reports  afloat  concerning  the  expedition 
again  and  again.  He  intrigued  to  thwart  all  efforts  to  sup- 
press the  slave  trade,  at  the  same  time  that  he  cringingly 
professed  to  be  anxious  to  assist  the  Government.  He 
swore  eternal  fidelity  to  Baker  at  the  same  time  that  his 


176  GENERAL    GORDON. 

station  was  crowded  with  slaves.  At  last  he*  had  the 
effrontery  to  appeal  to  the  Egyptian  Government  for  protec- 
tion against  any  interference  with  his  trade,  which  was 
really  that  of  kidnapping  and  murdering  the  slaves,  and 
stealing  their  goods.  The  slave  trader  must  have  been 
really  backed  by  the  authority  of  some  high  personage, 
notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  Khedive  had  sent  out 
an  expedition  to  abolish  the  slave  trade.  The.  Khedive 
promised  that  he  would  have  Abou  Saood  judged  by  a  special 
tribunal,  for  the  purpose  of  which  Baker  Pasha  handed  to 
Nubar  Pasha  seventeen  documents  ;  but  he  was  released 
without  a  trial.  Three  vessels,  containing  seven  hundred 
slaves,  which  belonged  to  him,  were  captured ;  and  yet  he 
became  an  assistant  of  the  man  who  hoped,  above  all  things, 
to  be  able  to  abolish  slavery.  But  Gordon's  suspicions  were 
aroused  by  finding  that  Abou  had  stolen  some  of  the  Gov- 
ernment ivory,  and  grossly  deceived  him  on  several  occasions. 
He  had  treated  him  fairly  and  kindly  enough,  but  his  kind- 
ness did  not  avail  to  keep  the  man  from  double-dealing  and 
robbery,  nor  from  conniving  at  the  slave  trade.  So  Colonel 
Gordon  saw  that  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  to  let  him  go 
altogether;  and  he  accordingly  dismissed  him.  This  was 
not  done  too  soon,  for  it  became  evident  that  the  treacherous 
man  was  trying,  not  only  to  circumvent  Gordon's  plans  in 
every  possible  way,  but  to  have  his  life  taken  also. 

From  Sobat  River  Colonel  Gordon  had  now  removed  to 
Gondokoro,  and  from  thence  to  Regeef.  Here  he  had 
many  things  to  trouble  him.  Already  he  had  been  com- 
pelled to  make  acquaintance  with  some  people  of  the  Niam 
Niam  tribe.  These  are  mentioned  both  by  Petherick  and 
Schweinfurth.  Very  strange  tales  were  at  one  time  in 
circulation  respecting  them.  An  Italian  discoverer —  Piag- 
gia  —  went  to  live  among  them  for  a  year,  in  order  to 
enlighten   the   world   respecting   them,   which   he   did   by 


.       .  LIBERTY.  177 

means  of  an  interesting  book.  The  name  Niam  Niam 
signifies  great  eaters,  and  has  especial  reference  to  the  fact 
of  their  being  cannibals.  They  are  exceedingly  curious 
people,  and  seem  to  occupy  a  place  in  creation  that  is 
altogether  unique.  They  have  round,  broad  heads,  and 
thick,  frizzy  hair,  which  is  long,  and  which  they  wear 
plaited.  They  have  large,  full,  almond-shaped  eyes,  with 
a  wide  space  between  them,  and  their  eyebrows  are  thick 
and  large.  Their  noses  are  flat  and  square,  the  chin  is 
round,  the  mouth  has  thick  lips.  The  body  is  longer  than 
the  legs,  and  the  Niam  Niam  are  rather  inclined  to  stout- 
ness. They  are  not  as  black  as  the  Nubian;  they  are 
chocolate  colored.  They  tattoo  their  faces,  and  have  a 
kind  of  cross  tattooed  on  the  breast.  When  they  want  to 
be  particularly  smart  on  their  gala  days,  they  color  their 
bodies  with  red  and  black.  If  they  dress  at  all,  they  wear 
a  skin  fastened  across  the  loins,  and  they  like  to  wear  a 
monkey's  tail  as  a  sort  of  finish. 

The  men  are  far  more  particular  in  regard  to  their  hair 
than  the  women  ;  they  dress  it  up  into  all  sorts  of  forms,  and 
part  it  in  the  middle.  Then  they  gather  it  up  into  rolls 
and  curls,  and  long  plaits  and  tufts.  They  spend  more 
time  every  day  in  dressing  their  heads  than  even  an  English 
girl  who  wants  to  look  her  best  for  her  first  ball.  The  men 
wear  a  fringe  oyer  their  foreheads  —  but  the  fringe  is  made 
of  dogs'  teeth.  The  Niam  Niam  fight  with  lances  and 
trumbashes  —  a  boomerang  —  made  of  iron.  They  have  a 
shield  of  Spanish  reeds  woven  together,  and  the  trumbash  is 
carried  inside  of  it.  These  shields  are  very  light,  although 
they  are  large  enough  to  cover  more  than  half  the  body. 
They  also  use  sharp  knives,  with  sickle-like  blades.  The 
farm-work  of  the  Niam  Niam  is  done  by  the  women  ;  the 
men  occupy  themselves  with  the  chase.  The  land  is  ex- 
ceedingly fertile,  and  the  agricultural  work  is  much  more 


178  GENERAL    GORDON. 

easy  among  them  than  among  most  of  the  tribes.  The 
grain  they  use  most  is  the  eleusine  coracana,  of  which  they 
make  not  only  bread  but  beer.  They  also  grow  the  manioc, 
sweet  potato,  yam,  and  colocasiae.  They  smoke  gundy  — 
a  kind  of  tobacco — and  use  clay  pipes,  with  long  bowls  and 
no  stems.  Poultry  and  dogs  are  the  only  domestic  animals, 
and  the  latter  wear  bells  round  their  necks.  The  dog's 
flesh  is  eaten,  and  considered  a  great  delicacy.  Their  name, 
Niam  Niam,  is  not  wrongly  given.  The  pure  air  of  their 
country  makes  them  hungry,  and  they  have  always  a  stock 
of  provisions  near.  They  are  like  some  English  people,  who 
cannot  take  a  railway  journey  but  they  must  feed  all  the 
way;  the  Niam  Niam  carry  a  little  basket  of  provisions 
with  them  wherever  they  go;  and  they  have  little  boxes 
fixed  up  outside  the  houses,  and  in  all  con\'enient  places, 
where  food  is  kept  at  hand,  from  which  they  constantly  help 
themselves.  Meat  —  or  as  they  call  it,  pushujoh  —  is  liked 
by  them  more  than  any  other  kind  of  food ;  and,  alas  1  most 
of  them  enjoy  eating  human  flesh. 

The  houses  of  tlie  Niam  Niam  are  made  of  clay,  and  all 
have  conical  roofs.  Separate  huts  are  used  for  sleeping 
and  cooking  purposes.  Sometimes  they  ornament  the 
points  of  their  houses  with  a  wisp  of  straw,  into  which  they 
occasionally  weave  snail-shells ;  and  they  now  and  then 
make  a  cross  on  them  of  some  colored  materials.  They 
are  able  to  do  a  little  work  in  iron  and  pottery ;  indeed, 
they  are  clever  at  the  latter.  Their  drinking  cups  are 
pretty,  and  their  water  flasks  are  well  made.  They  take 
great  pains  in  making  their  pipes  look  well.  They  carve 
wood;  some  of  their  dishes  and  basins,  as  well  as  their 
stools,  are  beautifully  carved.  Their  mode  of  greeting  is 
peculiar.  They  extend  their  right  hands,  and  so  join  them 
as  to  make  the  two  middle  fingers  crack,  and  they  nod  at 
each  other  and  wave  their  hands  in  very  curious  fashion. 


LIBERTY.  179 

The  men  greet  each  other  when  they  meet,  but  the  women 
are  very  retiring.  A  woman's  duties  consist  in  "  culti- 
vating the  homestead,  preparing  the  daily  meals,  painting 
her  husband's  body,  and  dressing  his  hair."  They  are  very 
fond  of  music ;  Piaggia  thinks  that  great  eaters  though 
they  are,  they  would  go  without  food  at  any  time  to  listen 
to  sweet  sounds.  They  have  several  kinds  of  oracles  which 
they  consult,  to  try  to  discover  whether  success  will  attend 
them  in  war  or  hunting ;  but  though  they  have  the  form  of 
the  cross  on  some  of  their  instruments  and  buildings,  and 
even  seem  to  regard  it  with  some  superstition,  they  have  no 
knowledge  of  the  true  God  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ. 

Colonel  Gordon  said  that  the  Niam  Niam  ladies  wore  a 
bunch  of  leaves  for  full  dress. 

While  he  was  at  Rageef  he  tried  to  teach  the  chiefs  how 
to  use  money.  He  made  a  shop,  and  sold  beads.  He 
bought  a  tusk  of  one,  who  wanted  in  exchange  two  bells ; 
but  Gordon  gave  him  two  dollars  for  the  tusk,  and  then 
sold  the  bells  for  a  dollar  each.  The  people  seemed  to  like 
it,  and  to  take  to  it  easily.  Gordon  also  amused  the 
soldiers  by  showing  them  a  magic  lantern.  He  introduced 
piece-work  instead  of  day-work  among  them,  and  thus  made 
them  more  industrious  and  self-reliant. 

While  he  was  at  Rageef  he  ordered  the  men  to  make  a 
mosque  and  keep  their  Ramadan.  The  name  is  that  of  the 
ninth  month  in  the  Mohammedan  year.  It  was  in  this 
month  that  the  prophet  received  his  first  revelation.  It 
happened  to  come  at  an  inconvenient  time  to  Baker,  but 
Gordon  was  able  to  spare  the  men  that  they  might  attend 
to  its  requirements.  The  "  Faithful  "  are  supposed  to  keep 
a  strict  fast  from  da\\ai  to  sunset  —  when  a  white  thread 
can  be  distinguished  from  a  black  one.  Eating,  drinking, 
smoking,  bathing,  smelling  perfumes,  and  other  bodily 
enjoyments,   are    strictly    prohibited    during    that    period. 


180  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Even  when  obliged  to  take  medicine,  the  Moslem  must  make 
some  kind  of  amends  for  it,  such  as  spending  a  certain  sum 
of  money  among  the  poor.  During  the  night,  however, 
permission  is  given  them  by  the  Koran  to  take  what  is 
necessary,  and  then  they  are  very  apt  to  make  up  by 
indulgence  for  their  fasting  during  the  day.  But  it  is  some- 
times a  very  severe  infliction  upon  those  who  wish  to  observe 
it  religiously,  especially  when  the  month  —  which  is  lunar  — 
falls  upon  the  long,  hot  days  of  midsummer.  In  time  of 
war,  or  when  travelling  on  long  journeys,  they  may  postpone 
the  fast,  but  they  must  not  omit  it  altogether ;  and  there 
are  exemptions  allowed  in  cases  where  the  fast  would  prove 
really  injurious. 

There  is  a  tradition  to  the  effect  that  not  only  Mohammed, 
but  also  Abraham,  Moses,  and  Jesus,  received  each  their 
revelations  during  the  month  of  Ramadan. 

Towards  the  end  of  October  Colonel  Gordon  went  to 
Gondokoro,  where  he  remained  until  after  Christmas.  He 
made  friends  with  the  tribes  all  round,  who  soon  learned 
to  trust  him.  The  Khedive  wrote  to  him  to  stop  the  slave 
trade,  and  he  answered  that  he  would  like  to  do  so,  by 
using  summary  measures  with  the  Khartoum  merchants 
themselves. 

In  January,  1875,  ^^  ^^^^'^  to  Lardo.  He  was  anxious  to 
bring  the  stations  for  the  government  of  which  he  was  re- 
sponsible in  more  direct  communication.  It  took  six  months, 
and  required  a  band  of  one  hundred  men,  to  get  news  from 
one  station  to  another.  The  Khedive  wished  his  flag  to  be 
placed  on  the  Albert  Nyanza ;  and  Gordon  asked  him  to 
allow  him  to  establish  fortified  posts,  a  day's  journey  apart. 

But  he  had  some  trouble  with  the  Sheikh  Bedden,  a 
Bari  chief,  to  whom  Baker  had  made  a  present  of  a  blue 
shirt  and  a  grand  dress  of  gold  and  silver  tissue ;  but  who 
afterwards    treated  him    with   great    treachery,    refusing  to 


LIBERTY.  181 

allow  his  people  to  carry  the  travellers'  baggage,  though  he 
had  previously  engaged  to  do  so.  Gordon  on  his  arrival 
sent  a  present  to  Bedden,  whose  territory  was  very  near 
the  district  in  which  he  had  settled ;  but  the  messenger 
brought  back  the  threat  that  the  next  man  who  went  to 
him  would  be  killed.  It  was  necessary  to  do  something  with 
Bedden  in  order  to  make  him  understand  that  he  must  not 
molest  the  Government  station ;  and  so  it  was  decided  to 
take  his  cattle.  Accordingly  they  went  to  his  zeriba  —  the 
cattle  enclosure  of  the  sheikh  —  and  took  two  thousand  head 
of  cattle  ;  "  so  that,"  wrote  Gordon,  "  without  any  effu- 
sion of  blood  on  either  side,  or  burning  of  villages,  we  pun- 
ished Bedden  severely."  He  added,  "  I  hope  Bedden  and 
Lococo  will  both  submit  before  many  days  are  over.  I 
do  most  cordially  hate  this  work ;  but  the  question  is,  What 
are  you  to  do  ?  You  must  protect  your  own  people,  and  also 
the  friendly  sheikhs,  and  you  cannot  make  them  give  in  ex- 
cept by  the  capture  of  their  cattle." 

Bedden  came  to  him  afterwards ;  and  then  he  gave  him 
back  twenty  of  his  cows,  and  also  a  present  of  some  copper, 
and  a  pair  of  scissors.  Poor  old  Bedden  was  blind,  and  not 
now  capable  of  doing  so  much  harm  as  his  son. 

Gordon  was  interested  in  everything  he  saw.  He  shot 
two  hippopotami.  He  thought  it  was  too  bad  to  do  it,  but 
the  people  wanted  food,  and  there  was  as  much  meat  in  one 
of  these  as  in  twenty  cows.  The  hippopotamus  is  found  all 
over  Africa,  and  nowhere  else.  It  is  almost  as  large  as  the 
elephant,  is  aquatic  in  its  habits,  and  can  be  found  in  rivers, 
lakes,  and  estuaries.  Its  skin  is  two  inches  thick  on  the  back, 
and  sides.  Its  color  is  dark  brown,  and  it  has  no  hair.  It 
has  a  large  head  and  small  eyes  and  ears.  It  breathes  very 
slowly,  and  can  keep  under  water  for  a  long  time.  It  eats 
the  weeds  that  grow  at  the  bottom  or  on  the  banks  of  shal- 
low streams.     The  fat  of  the  hippopotamus  is  exceedingly 


182  GENERAL    GORDON. 

nice.  It  is  salted,  and  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  can  be 
bought  as  our  bacon  is  in  England,  and  is  liked  quite  as  well. 
It  is  called  there  Zee-roe-speck,  which  means  "  Lake-cow- 
bacon."  The  tongue  is  a  delicacy,  and  there  is  a  very  good 
and  nourishing  jelly  made  of  its  feet.  The  hide  is  useful, 
and  the  teeth  are  valuable  ivory,  for  which  there  is  always  a 
good  sale. 

On  one  occasion  Colonel  Gordon  secured  the»friendliness 
of  one  of  the  tribes  by  giving  them  some  of  the  flesh  of  the 
hippopotamus  —  a  delicacy  which  they  could  not  resist. 

Gordon  was  anxious  to  make  stations  between  Rageef 
and  Duffli.  He  began  to  feel  that  time  was  getting  on, 
and  he  had  not  accomplished  what  he  wished.  He  wanted 
to  know  how  to  get  his  steamers  up  the  Nile  above  the 
cataracts;  he  tried  with  nuggars  —  the  usual  Nile  boats 
already  described.  He  started  toward  Lahore,  and  then 
went  to  Kerri.  After  various  difficulties  and  dangers,  and 
experiences  of  many  kinds,  he  got  the  nuggars  up  the  dan- 
gerous currents.  "  It  is  the  violent  eddies  which  are  so  ter- 
rible. The  slightest  faltering  in  the  haulers  would  be  fatal. 
We  have  about  sixty  or  eighty  black  satin-skinned  natives 
hauling  on  each  boat.  Your  brother  prays  the  nuggars  up  as 
he  used  to  do  the  troops  when  they  wavered  in  the  breaches 
in  China ;  but  often  and  often  the  ropes  break,  and  it  all  has 
to  be  done  over  again."  A  nuggar  got  lost  and  floated 
away.  They  had  many  hindrances,  but  at  last  reached 
Lahore.  He  felt  sometimes  that  his  work  was  not  a  very 
great  one.  "  What  is  the  work  ?  The  placing  of  a  chain  of 
posts  along  a  river,  and  the  hauling-up  of  some  boats  over 
rocky  channels."  Yet  the  small  work  —  very  difficult  and 
dangerous,  though  small  —  might  lead  to  great  ends  \  and, 
in  any  case,  Charles  Gordon  would  obey  the  command  of 
his  Master,  whom  he  served  in  the  Soudan  as  in  China  or 


LIBERTY.  1S3 

Gravesend  :  "  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with 
thy  might." 

On  28th  August  he  estabHshed  a  station  to  which  he  gave 
the  name  Moogie.  He  was  joined  by  Linant,  who  had  just 
come  from  Mtesa's  country,  where  he  had  met  Stanley. 
Gordon  was  interested  in  finding  that  some  magicians  were 
cursing  him  very  earnestly,  and  he  thought  this  boded  no 
good  ;  so  he  sent  a  few  shots  among  them,  which  stopped  the 
magic  quite  suddenly.  The  natives  soon  after  made  an 
attack  on  the  party.  Linant  who  wanted  to  go  and  burn 
their  houses  in  order  to  teach  them  better,  was  set  upon  by 
them  and  killed.  Gordon  had  given  him  a  red  shirt,  and 
this  shirt  seemed  to  annoy  them.  The  commander  of  the 
expedition  had,  with  a  very  mournful  heart,  to  write  to  the 
bereaved  father  of  Linant,  and  tell  him  that  his  son  was 
dead.  This  was  the  second  son  he  had  lost ;  one  died  at 
Gondokoro. 

The  Mudir  of  Fatiko  joined  Gordon  on  the  last  day  of 
August,  bringing  500  men  with  him ;  so  that  the  brave  com- 
mander was  able  to  rest  a  litde  and  to  doctor  himself,  for 
by  this  time  he  was  feeling  far  from  well ;  he  had  got  his 
feet  wet  on  several  occasions,  and  his  liver  was  out  of  order. 
He  had  some-  Niam  Niam  warriors  on  his  side  now :  and 
with  those  he  fought  the  Baris,  who  were  continually  at- 
tacking him.  As  far  as  the  finances  of  his  expedition  were 
concerned,  he  had  been  very  successful,  for  he  had  sent 
;^48,ooo  to  the  Khedive,  and  had  by  him  ^^60,000  worth  of 
ivory. 

In  September  he  set  himself  to  collect  the  taxes  from  the 
natives,  or  to  make  raids  on  them.  The  result  was  200 
cows  and  1,500  sheep.  A  daughter  of  one  of  the  hostile 
sheikhs  was  taken ;  but  Gordon  sent  to  say  her  father  could 
have  his  daughter  back  again  if  he  promised  submission. 
There  was  intense  excitement  among  the  people;  and  in 


184  GENERAL    GORDON. 

the  midst  of  it  the  over-worked  man  at  the  head  of  affairs 
was  glad  to  welcome  a  good  officer  —  Nuehr  Agha,  from 
Fatiko,  On  the  15th  September  he  was  able  to  say  he 
believed  he  had  only  one  hostile  tribe  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  Nile,  between  Moogie  and  Makad^. 

After  the  usual  delays  and  difficulties,  his  steamer  was  got 
off,  and  they  went  from  Moogie  to  Labore.  He  had  re^ 
solved  not  only  to  make  the  stations,  but  to  well  equip  them. 
The  Arabs  tried  his  patience  exceedingly.  He  was  so 
quick,  and  they  were  so  indescribably  lazy.  From  Labore 
they  went  to  Duffli,  where  he  stayed  a  fortnight.  He  had 
ague  there ;  so  he  crossed  the  river,  and  took  up  his  station 
at  Fashelie,  though  he  thought  his  illness  was  caused  more 
by  the  carelessness  of  his  servants  than  the  air  or  the  water. 
The  place  was  healthy  and  quiet,  and  he  (Gordon)  h&d  the 
pleasure  of  feeling  that  he  had  done  good  work  by  opening 
a  road.  He  wanted  to  subdue  the  Moogie  tribe  completely 
before  he  left ;  and  although  a  complaining  letter  from  the 
Khedive  made  him  half  inclined  to  throw  up  his  commis- 
sion, he  decided,  after  hearing  again  from  the  Khedive,  to 
remain  and  complete  his  work. 

With  the  end  of  the  year  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
it  was  not  his  work  to  explore  the  Lake  Nyanza.  He  was 
so  pressed  with  other  work  that  he  declared  he  was  not  con- 
cerned as  to  whether  there  were  two  lakes  or  a  million,  or 
whether  the  Nile  had  a  source  or  not. 

He  would  leave  the  Albert,  and  try  to  go  to  the  Victoria 
Nyanza.  He  resolved,  therefore,  as  soon  as  possible,  to 
make  for  the  South.  His  heart  was  often  very  sad.  The 
people  among  whom  and  for  whom  he  worked  disappointed 
him  greatly.  "  I  am  not,"  he  wrote,  "  after  nine  months  of 
worry,  in  a  fit  state  to  explore  anything  but  my  way  out  of 
the  province."  But  he  had  accomplished  a  good  year's 
work,  little  and  disappointing  as  it  appeared  to  himself. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

NEAR   KING   MTESA'S   LAND. 

"  What  thou  would'st  highly. 
That  would'st  thou  holily  :  would'st  not  play  false." 

—  Macbeth. 

ON  the  2d  of  January,  1876,  Colonel  Gordon  reached 
Fatiko.  The  New  Year  did  not  begin  with  very 
good  promise,  for  although  he  reports  himself  as  able 
to  walk  fourteen  miles  a  day,  he  suffered  considerably  from 
pain  and  fatigue.  From  Fatiko  he  went  to  Foweira,  which 
was  reached  after  a  most  uncomfortable  march.  The  road 
by  which  they  travelled  was  one  along  which  a  troop  of  ele- 
phants had  lately  come  ;  and  the  big,  unwieldy  creatures  — 
so  interesting  in  English  menageries,  so  common  in  Africa 
—  had  made  great  holes  in  the  road  with  their  heavy  feet, 
and  trodden  down  the  trees,  leaving  them  in  the  paths,  so 
that  the  clothes  of  the  travellers  were  torn  to  pieces  by 
them.  The  Colonel  had  more  than  a  little  difficulty  with 
Baker's  old  enemy,  Kabba  Rega,  whom  Sir  Samuel  had 
deposed,  setting  in  his  place  Rionga  —  by  far  the  better 
man  of  the  two.  Rionga  was  a  favorite  with  the  natives, 
and  a  man  who  had  been  persecuted  by  Kabba  Rega. 
Gordon  received  Rionga,  and  assisted  him  into  his  rightful 
place  at  Mrooli,  "  a  miserable  country  full  of  mosquitoes." 
Kabba  Rega  was  at  Masindi,  and  when  he  heard  what  Gor- 
don had  done  he  fled,  taking  with  him  "  the  magic  stool," 


186  GENERAL    GORDON. 

the  throne  of  the  kings  of  Unyoro,  to  which  was  attached  so 
much  importance,  that  the  people  beheved  the  loss  of  it  would 
mean  the  loss  of  all  the  authority  of  the  kings.  The  throne 
was  a  very  small  piece  of  furniture,  made  partly  of  copper 
and  partly  of  wood. 

In  March,  1876,  Colonel  Gordon  had  a  letter  from  Mtesa, 
the  powerful  king  of  Uganda,  the  country  on  the  shore  of 
the  Victoria  Nyanza.  This  man  had  been  much  written 
about  during  the  preceding  years ;  and  the  facsimile  of  his 
letter  is  not  the  least  interesting  thing  in  Dr.  Birkbeck  Hill's 
book,  Colonel  Gordon  in  Central  Africa.  Mtesa,  as  was 
only  natural,  resisted  the  advance  of  the  Egyptians  towards 
his  territory.  He  said  he  wanted  to  be  a  friend  to  the  Eng- 
lish, but  he  certainly  did  not  want  an  Englishman  to  bring 
Egyptian  troops  nearer  to  him  than  they  already  were. 

The  year  before  this,  Henry  Stanley,  the  gallant  American, 
who  went  to  the  help  of  Livingstone,  and  has  subsequently 
made  his  name  as  famous  as  that  of  any  discoverer,  visited 
Mtesa,  and  wrote  the  following  account  of  his  visit  for  the 
London  Daily  Telegraph:  — 

"  Mtesa  is  about  thirty-four  years  old,  and  tall  and  slender 
in  build,  as  I  have  already  stated,  but  with  broad  shoulders. 
His  face  is  very  agreeable  and  pleasant,  and  indicates  intel- 
ligence and  mildness.  His  eyes  are  large,  his  nose  and 
mouth  are  a  great  improvement  upon  those  of  the  common 
type  of  negro,  and  approach  to  the  same  features  in  the 
Muscat  Arab,  when  slightly  tinted  with  negro  blood.  His 
teeth  are  splendid  and  gleaming  white.  As  soon  as  Mtesa 
began  to  speak,  I  became  captivated  by  his  manner,  for 
there  was  much  of  the  polish  of  a  true  gentleman  about  it 
—  it  was  at  once  amiable,  graceful,  and  friendly.  It  tended 
to  assure  me  that  in  this  potentate  I  had  found  a  friend,  a 
generous  king,  and  an  intelligent  ruler.     He  is  not  person- 


NEAR  KING  MTESA'S  LAND.  187 

ally  inferior  to  Seyd  Burghash,  the  Arab  Sultan  of  Zanzibar, 
and,  indeed,  appears  to  me  quite  like  a  colored  gentleman 
who  has  visited  European  courts,  and  caught  a  certain  ease 
and  refinement  of  manner,  with  a  large  amount  of  informa- 
tion. If  you  will  recollect,  however,  that  Mtesa  is  a  native 
of  Central  Africa,  and  that  he  had  seen  but  three  white  men 
until  I  came,  you  will  perhaps  be  as  much  astonished  at  all 
this  as  I  was.  And  if  you  will  but  think  of  the  enormous 
extent  of  country  he  rules,  extending  from  E.  long.  34°  to 
E.  long.  31°,  and  from  N.  lat.  1°  to  S.  lat.  3°  30',  you  will 
further  perceive  the  immense  influence  he  could  wield 
towards  the  civilization  of  Africa.  Indeed,  I  could  not 
regard  this  king,  or  look  at  him  in  any  other  light  than  as 
the  possible  Ethelbert,  by  whose  means  the  light  of  the 
Gospel  may  be  brought  to  benighted  Middle  Africa. 

"  Undoubtedly,  the  Mtesa  of  to-day  is  vastly  superior  to 
the  vain  youth  whom  Speke  and  Grant  saw.  There  is  now 
no  daily  butchery  of  men  and  women ;  seldom  one  suffers 
the  extreme  punishment.  Speke  and  Grant  left  him  a  raw, 
vain  youth,  and  a  heathen.  He  is  now  a  gentleman,  and, 
professing  Islamism,  submits  to  other  laws  than  his  own 
erratic  will,  which  we  are  told  led  to  such  severe  and  fatal 
consequences.  All  his  captains  and  chief  officers  observe 
the  same  creed,  dress  in  Arab  costume,  and  in  other  ways 
affect  Arab  customs.  He  has  a  guard  of  two  hundred  men 
—  renegadoes  from  Baker's  expedition,  Zanzibar  defalcators, 
a  few  Amini,  and  the  elect  of  Uganda.  Behind  his  throne 
— an  arm-chair  of  native  manufacture  —  the  royal  shield- 
bearers,  lance-bearers,  and  gun-bearers,  stand  erect  and 
staid.  On  either  side  of  him  are  his  grand  chiefs  and 
courtiers,  sons  of  governors  of  his  provinces,  chiefs  of  dis- 
tricts, etc.  Outside  the  audience  house  the  lengthy  lines  of 
warriors  begin  with  the  chief  drummer  and  the  noisy  goma- 


188  GENERAL    GORDON. 

beaters ;  next  come  the  screaming  fifers,  the  flag  and  ban- 
ner-bearers, the  fusiliers,  and  so  on,  seemingly  ad  ijifinitum, 
with' spearmen  and  attendants. 

"  Mtesa  is  a  great  king.  He  is  a  monarch  who  would 
delight  the  soul  of  any  intelligent  European,  as  he  would  see 
in  his  black  Majesty  the  hope  of  Central  Africa.  He  is 
King  of  Karagwe,  Uganda,  Umagoro,  Usoga,  and  Usui. 
Each  day  I  found  something  which  increased  my  esteem 
and  respect  for  him.  He  is  fond  of  imitating  Europeans 
and  what  he  has  heard  of  their  great  personages,  which 
trait,  with  a  little  tuition,  would  prove  of  immense  benefit 
to  his  country.  He  has  prepared  broad  highways  in  the 
neighborhood  of  his  capital  for  the  good  time  that  is  coming 
when  some  charitable  European  will  send  him  any  kind 
of  a  wheeled  vehicle.  As  we  approached  the  capital,  the 
main  road  from  Usavara  increased  in  width  from  twenty 
feet  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  When  we  arrived 
at  this  magnificent  breadth  we  viewed  the  capital  crowning 
an  eminence  commanding  a  most  extensive  view  of  a 
picturesque  and  rich  country,  all  teeming  with  gardens,  of 
plantations,  and  bananas,  and  beautiful  pasture  land.  Of 
course,  huts,  however  large,  lend  but  little  attraction  to  a 
scene  ;  but  a  tall  flag-staff  and  an  immense  flag  proved  a 
decided  feature  in  the  landscape.  Arrived  at  the  capital,  I 
found  that  the  vast  collection  of  buildings  crowning  the 
eminence  were  the  royal  quarters,  round  which  ran  five 
several  palisades  and  circular  courts,  between  which  and 
the  city  was  a  circular  road,  ranging  from  one  hundred  to 
two  hundred  feet  in  width,  and  from  this  radiated  six  or 
seven  imposing  avenues  lined  with  gardens  and  huts.  The 
next  day  after  arrival  I  was  introduced  to  the  royal  palace  in 
great  state. 

"  Now,  until  I  arrived  at  Mtesa's  court,  the  king  delighted 


NEAR  KING  MTESA'S  LAND.  189 

in  the  idea  that  he  was  a  follower  of  Islam  ;  but,  by  one 
conversation,  I  flatter  myself  that  I  have  tumbled  the  newly- 
raised  religious  fabric  to  the  ground,  and  if  it  were  only 
followed  by  the  arrival  of  a  Christian  mission  here,  the 
conversion  of  Mtesa  and  his  court  to  Christianity  would,  I 
think,  be  complete.  I  have,  indeed,  undermined  Islamism 
so  much  here  that  Mtesa  has  determined  henceforth,  until 
he  is  better  informed,  to  observe  the  Christian  Sabbath  as 
well  as  the  Moslem  Sabbath,  and  the  great  captains  have 
unanimously  consented  to  this.  He  has  further  caused  the 
ten  commandments  of  Moses  to  be  written  on  a  board  for 
his  daily  perusal  —  for  Mtesa  can  read  Arabic  —  as  well  as 
the  Lord's  Prayer  and  the  golden  commandment  of  our 
Saviour,  'Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.'  This 
is  great  progress  for  the  few  days  that  I  have  remained  with 
him  ;  and,  though  I  am  no  missionary,  I  shall  begin  to 
think  that  I  might  become  one  if  such  success  is  feasible. 
But,  oh,  that  some  pious,  practical  missionary  would  come 
here  !  What  a  field  and  a  harvest  ripe  for  the  sickle  of 
civilization  !  Mtesa  would  give  him  anything  he  desired  — 
houses,  lands,  cattle,  ivory,  etc. ;  he  might  call  a  j^rovince 
his  own  in  one  day. 

"It  is  not  the  mere  preacher,  however,  that  is  wanted 
here.  The  Bishops  of  Great  Britain  collected,  with  all  the 
classic  youth  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  would  effect  nothing 
by  mere  talk  with  the  intelligent  people  of  Uganda.  It  is  the 
practical  Christian  tutor,  who  can  teach  the  people  how  to 
become  Christians,  cure  their  diseases,  construct  dwellings, 
understand  and  exemplify  agriculture,  and  turn  his  hand  to 
anything,  like  a  sailor  —  this  is  the  man  \\\\o  is  wanted. 
Such  an  one,  if  he  can  be  found,  would  become  the  saviour 
of  Africa.  He  must  be  tied  to  no  church  or  sect,  but 
profess  God  and  His  Son  and  the  moral  law,  and  live  a 


190  GENERAL    GORDON. 

blameless  Christian,  inspired  by  liberal  principles,  charity  to 
all  men,  and  devout  faith  in  heaven.  He  must  belong  to  no 
nation  in  particular,  but  the  entire  white  race.  Such  a  man, 
or  men,  Mtesa,  King  of  Uganda,  Usoga,  Umgoro,  and 
Karagwe  —  a  kingdom  three  hundred  and  sixty  geographical 
miles  in  length  by  fifty  in  breadth  —  invites  to  repair  to  him. 
He  has  begged  me  to  tell  the  white  men  that  if  they  will 
only  come  to  him,  he  will  give  them  all  they  want.  Now, 
where  is  there  in  all  the  Pagan  world  a  more  promising  field 
for  a  mission  than  Uganda?  Colonel  Linant  de  Bellefonds 
is  my  witness  that  I  speak  the  truth,  and  I  know  he  will 
corroborate  all  I  say.  The  Colonel,  though  a  Frenchman, 
is  a  Calvinist,  and  has  become  as  ardent  a  well-wisher  for 
the  Waganda  as  I  am." 

The  Colonel  Linant  mentioned  here  was  the  one  already 
referred  to.  Colonel  Gordon  was  himself  much  interested 
in  Mtesa.  He  once  wrote,  "  The  glory  of  Mtesa's  conver- 
sion would  lead  to  other  things  ;  but  these  tribes,  and  this 
slow,  dull  life,  would  need  a  self-abnegation  which  would  be 
difficult  to  find." 

Mtesa  did  not  appeal  for  missionaries  in  vain ;  for  when 
Stanley's  letter  reached  England  a  gentleman  offered  ^^5000 
to  the  Church  Missionary  Society  as  a  beginning  of  the  good 
work. 

On  19th  March,  Gessi  Romulus  (Gessi  Pasha),  one  of  the 
most  illustrious  members  of  Gordon's  staff,  left  him  to  go 
to  Magungo  and  the  Lakes,  while  Gordon  went  to  Lardo  and 
Kerri.  He  had  at  that  time  the  satisfaction  of  feeling  that 
he  had  established  stations  all  along  the  line  from  Duffli  to 
Lardo  —  these  two  stations  being  termini,  and  having 
between  them  the  important  main  stations, ,  Labors  and 
Kerri ;  besides  Rageef,  Bedden,  Moogie,  and  Tyoo. 

It  had  not  been  easy  to  accomplish  all  this.     He  had  made 


NEAR  KING  MTESA'S  LAND.  191 

many  journeys  and  met  with  many  adventures.  On  one  occa- 
sion, when  he  was  assisting  a  boatman  to  pass  a  rope  across 
the  river,  the  rope  shpped  and  dragged  him  into  the  water. 
A  man  who  sprang  in  to  rescue  him  got  his  dress  over  his 
head,  and  looked,  Gordon  said,  "  Hke  the  veiled  prophet  of 
Khorassan."  Both  were  saved,  and  almost  the  next  day 
Gordon  was  again  in  danger  from  a  whip-snake.  But  noth- 
ing was  permitted  to  harm  him ;  and  the  dangers  which  he 
saw  only  made  him  feel  the  more  certain  of  the  Divine  pro- 
tection. Wherever  he  was,  by  the  African  lakes  and  rivers, 
as  well  as  in  the  midst  of  the  Tai-pings  of  China,  there  was 
ever  an  undertone  of  solemn  music  sounding  in  his  heart. 

"He  that  dweUeth  in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High 
shall  abide  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty.  Surely  He 
shall  deliver  thee  from  the  snare  of  the  fowler  atid  from  the 
noisome  pestilence ;  thou  shall  not  be  afraid  for  the  terror  by 
?iight,  nor  for  the  arrow  that  flieth  by  day,  nor  for  the  pesti- 
lence that  7valketh  in  darkness,  nor  for  the  destructions  that 
wastcth  at  noonday.  A  thousand  shall  fall  at  thy  side,  and 
ten  thousand  at  thy  right  hand,  but  it  shall  not  come  nigh 
thee.  Because  thou  hast  made  the  Lord  thy  habitation  there 
shall  no  evil  befall  thee,  neither  shall  any  plague  come  nigh 
thy  dwelling.  For  He  shall  give  His  a?igels  charge  over  thee, 
to  keep  thee  in  all  thy  waysT 

One  of  Colonel  Gordon's  pleasures  at  this  time  was  that 
of  reading  Dr.  Schweinfurth's  Heart  of  Africa.  He  said  that 
he  envied  his  love  of  botany.  He  himself  grew  restless 
under  the  inaction  which  seemed  perfectly  agreeable  to  the 
Egji^tian  garrison.  He  described  the  country  as  very 
beautiful.  "  Such  glorious  glades  of  forest,  and  away  north 
of  the  tail  of  the  Neri  Hills  there  is  such  an  expanse  of  fine 
land  quite  unexplored.  No  one  knows  what  tribes  are  living 
here,"     He   was   amused   by   the    children ;    indeed    they 


192  GENERAL    GORDON. 

always  interested  him.  "The  children  of  the  natives  are 
quite  extraordinary ;  at  a  year  old  they  walk,  and  carry 
gourds  of  water.  They  are  fearfully  top-heavy  —  i.e.,  their 
heads  are  enormous,  and  at  a  distance  they  are  like  regular 
tadpoles.  Their  heads  and  stomachs  are  they ;  their  legs 
and  arms  are  merely  antennas  to  them." 

His  friend  Gessi  returned  on  the  2d  of  May,  having  gone 
round  the  Victoria  Nyanza  in  nine  days.  He  had  been  in  a 
terrible  storm,  which  had  swept  over  the  lake  and  driven 
him  into  dangerous  quarters  with  Kabba  Rega's  men.  Such 
a  storm  can  scarcely  be  imagined  in  England.  The  drops 
of  rain  were  as  big  as  a  dollar,  and  the  waves  so  tumultuous 
that  almost  everyone  was  ill,  and  quite  everyone  was 
frightened.  The  Arab  sailors  declared  that  nothing  should 
ever  induce  them  to  go  to  that  lake  again  as  long  as  they 
lived.  The  natives  had  been  very  much  afraid  of  Gessi,  for 
they  thought  he  was  a  fiend ;  they  would  hold  no  converse 
with  the  sailors  until  he  had  gone  away. 

Colonel  Gordon  was  at  this  time  longing  for  the  steamer 
to  come  and  take  him  away.  He  went  from  Kerri  to  Lardo 
to  look  for  it,  and  try  to  hasten  its  preparation.  On  his 
return  to  Kerri  he  had  another  narrow  escape.  A  heavy 
thunderstorm  set  in,  and,  while  he  was  adjusting  the  side  of 
his  wet  tent,  he  was  struck  by  a  flash  of  lightning,  and 
received  two  rather  severe  shocks.  But  although  these 
things  showed  him  how  near  he  was  to  danger,  nothing  was 
suffered  to  hurt  him.  The  letters  that  he  wrote  at  this  time 
are  very  beautiful.  He  was  sometimes  prevented  by  circum- 
stances from  carrying  out  the  plans  that  he  had  laid ;  but 
always  he  yielded  to  any  necessary  change,  feeling  that  God 
overruled  everything. 

"  I  feel  that  I  have  a  mission  here  (not  taken  in  its  usual 
sense),"  he  wrote  in  July.     "The  men  and  officers  like  my 


NEAR   KING  MTESA'S  LAND.  193 

justice,  candor,  and  outbursts  of  tempsr,  and  they  see  that  I 
am  not  a  tyrant.  Over  two  years  we  have  Hved  intimately 
together,  and  they  watch  me  closely.  I  am  glad  they  do  so. 
My  wish  and  desire  is  that  all  should  be  as  happy  as  it  rests 
with  me  to  make  them  :  and  though  I  feel  sure  that  I  am 
unjust  sometimes,  it  is  not  the  rule  with  me  to  be  so.  I  care 
for  their  marches,  for  their  wants  and  food,  and  protect 
their  women  and  boys,  if  they  ill-treat  them  —  and  I  do 
ftothing  of  this.  I  am  a  chisel  which  en  is  the  wood — the 
cafpenter  directs  it." 

Colonel  Gordon  had  said  that  he  did  not  care  to  enter 
upon  the  work  of  geographical  discoveries  ;  but  the  reading 
of  Dr.  Schweinfurth's  book  had  made  him  greatly  desire  to 
assist  a  little  in  exploring  the  wonderful  district  into  which 
Providence  had  sent  him  ;  and  in  July  we  find  him  en  route 
to  Magungo,  in  order  to  traverse  the  seventy  miles  between 
that  place  and  Foweira.  Dr.  Schweinfurth  said,  "  It  may  be 
that  Lake  Albert  belongs  to  the  Nile  Basin,  but  it  is  not  a 
settled  fact,  for  there  are  seventy  miles  between  Foweira  and 
Lake  Albert  never  explored,  and  one  is  not  authorized  in 
making  the  Nile  leave  Lake  Albert.  The  question  is  very 
doubtful." 

Colonel  Gordon  set  himself  to  settle  the  question,  and 
on  5  th  August  he  dates  his  letter  from  three  miles  west  of  the 
Murchison  Falls.  The  task  was  one  of  exceeding  difficulty, 
but  he  accomplished  it,  and  proved  that  if  that  had  been  his 
mission,  he  had  in  him  plenty  of  the  stuff  of  which  the  great- 
est discoverers  are  made.  It  was  an  awful  task  —  eighteen 
miles  of  jungle,  fifteen  miles  of  ravines,  and  gullies,  and 
rain,  eight  miles  through  fearful  grass.  "  To-day  and  half  of 
yesterday  we  had  no  path,  but  have  had  to  force  our  way 
through  the  jungle.  It  has  been  terrible  work,  for  what 
with   wild   vines,  and  convolvuli   and   other  creepers,  you 


194  GENERAL    GORDON. 

sometimes  got  bound  hand  and  foot.     I  have  had  several 
severe  falls." 

Toward  the  end  of  August  he  was  at  MrooU,  and  began  to 
turn  his  thoughts  toward  home.  He  had  been  absent  three 
years  —  "a  very  long  three  years  without  a  Sunday."  He 
had  to  give  up  one  scheme  which  he  had  formed  —  namely, 
to  explore  that  portion  of  the  Nile  from  Urundogani  to 
Nyamyongo.  That  was  the  only  bit  of  the  Nile  from  Berber 
to  Victoria  that  he  had  not  traversed.  But  he  knew  it  was 
not  wise  to  attempt  it  then  ;  and  so  he  left  his  personal  feel- 
ings out  of  the  question,  and  gave  up  the  idea,  the  more 
readily,  as  he  confessed,  because  if  he  did  not  do  it  he  would 
the  sooner  reach  his  home. 

He  had  yet  another  peril  to  pass  through,  for  the  troops 
that  he  had  left  at  Masindi  had  moved  away.  They  did  not 
meet  him  as  they  had  been  ordered  to  do ;  and  Kabba 
Rega's  men  were  uncomfortably  near  him  ;  but  Kabba  went 
off  to  the  Lake  as  they  approached,  and  Gordon  was  able 
to  take  all  his  men  and  the  sick  who  were  with  him  safely 
away. 

Before  he  left  he  organized  a  force  to  go  and  fight  Kabba 
Rcga.  The  soldiers  did  as  the  Colonel  wished  them ;  but 
the  man,  although  he  lost  a  good  many  cattle,  managed  to 
get  back  to  his  country  when  the  troops  had  left. 

Colonel  Gordon  then  went  to  Kerotos,  Magungo,  and 
Chibero,  and  on  the  29th  October  he  had  reached  Khar- 
toum. It  seemed  Hke  coming  home.  He  was  pleased  to 
see  English  sparrows  there.  He  reached  Cairo  on  the  2d 
of  December ;  and  hastening  homeward,  he  arrived  in  Lon- 
don on  the  24th  of  December,  in  time  to  spend  Christmas 
Day  with  the  dear  friends  whom  he  had  not  seen  for  three 
years. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

IN   ABYSSINIA. 

"  Men  of  merit  are  sought  after :  the  undeserver 
May  sleep  when  the  man  of  action  is  called  on." 

—  Henry  IV. 

WHEN  away  in  the  Soudan,  Colonel  Gordon  had  often 
relieved  the  tedium  of  his  weary  days  by  thinking  of 
home,  and  the  leisures  and  comforts  of  a  quiet  life  in  Eng- 
land. But  he  was  not  long  allowed  to  rest.  "  Men  of  merit 
are  sought  after,"  said  Shakespeare  :  and  as  soon  as  it  was 
known  that  Gordon  had  come  home,  it  seemed  that  he  was 
wanted  in  several  places  at  once.  Britain  is  often  in  difficul- 
ties of  some  kind,  and  there  is  always  plenty  of  work  for 
hands  that  are  able  and  willing. 

When  Gordon  came  home  at  the  time  of  Christmas,  1876, 
English  eyes  were  turned  to  Bulgaria,  for  terrible  news  had 
come  from  thence  of  atrocities,  and  cruelties,  and  wholesale 
massacres.  A  man  was  needed  —  a  man  who  was  a  hero  — 
who  would  be  wise,  and  clever,  and  strong  for  the  work  in 
hand.  And  soon  there  were  whispers  in  many  quarters 
such  as  these  :  "  Gordon  is  at  home  ;  he  has  finished  his 
work  in  Egypt ;  he  is  the  man  for  the  hour."  The  Times 
especially  directed  attention  to  the  Colonel  and  his  work. 
"  Surely,"  it  was  said  in  that  paper,  "  his  genius  for  govern- 


196  GENERAL    GORDON. 

ment  and  command  might  be  utilized  for  his  own  Govern- 
ment as  well  as  for  the  Khedive.  If  the  jealousies  of  the 
Powers  would  permit  him  to  be  made  Governor  of  Bulgaria, 
he  would  soon  make  that  province  as  beautiful  as  an  English 
county."  And  there  was  a  good  deal  of  correspondence  on 
the  subject. 

But  would  Gordon  be  willing?  Had  he  really  finished 
the  work  that  had  been  given  him  to  do  in  the  Soudan? 

To  that  question  he  would  himself  have  replied  in  the 
negative.  However  others  might  praise  him,  he  felt  that  he 
had  accomplished  but  little. 

And  the  reason  was,  that  he  had  been  thwarted  and 
hindered  by  the  Khedive's  own  Government. 

He  had  been  told  to  abolish  slavery  in  the  Soudan  ;  but 
the  Governor-General  of  the  Soudan,  the  Khedive's  own 
representative,  Ismail  Pasha  Yacoub,  had  allowed  Khartoum, 
the  capital  of  the  Soudan  and  the  seat  of  government,  to 
remain  the  head-quarters  of  the  slave  system.  Gordon 
frequently  felt  that  he  was  in  an  exceedingly  ambiguous 
position,  and  this  had  hindered  him  in  accomplishing  much 
of  the  work  on  which  his  heart  had  been  set.  "  I  am  almost 
inclined  not  to  go  back,"  he  said  ;  but  he  wanted  to  be  quite 
sure  as  to  what  was  his  duty  in  the  matter.  He  was  deter- 
mined not  to  return  on  the  same  footing  as  before.  He 
would  not  go  and  exert  his  power  to  suppress  the  slave  trade 
with  the  knowledge  that  another,  also  high  in  power,  would 
encourage  it.  Rather  than  submit  to  a  repetition  of  former 
troubles  and  disappointments,  he  would  throw  up  the  expe- 
dition entirely.  But  the  Khedive  would  not  hear  of  his 
doing  this.  He  was  too  sensible  of  the  marvellous  results 
of  Gordon's  endeavors  to  be  at  all  willing  to  lose  the  services 
of  such  a  man.  Eventually  Gordon  went  to  Cairo  to  consult 
with  the  Khedive,  who  asked  him  to  become  himself  the 


IN  ABYSSINIA.  197 

Governor-General  of  the  Soudan.  Under  such  circumstan- 
ces, assured  that  now  he  would  have  no  one  to  hinder  him 
in  his  work  and  thwart  his  designs,  he  readily  agreed  to 
return.  He  was  to  have  to  assist  him  —  for  the  work  was 
too  great  for  any  one  man  —  three  deputy-governors. 

Now,  as  before.  General  Gordon  was  to  direct  his  attention 
to  the  two  great  duties  which  had  occupied  him  previously. 
He  was  to  suppress  the  slave  trade,  and  improve  the  means 
of  communication  in  the  Soudan.  But  besides  these,  a  new 
responsibility  was  put  upon  him.  He  was,  at  the  Khedive's 
request,  to  act  as  mediator  between  Egypt  and  Abyssinia,  the 
two  countries  being  then  engaged  in  dispute. 

He  left  Cairo  for  Massawa  on  the  i8th  of  February,  and 
arrived  eight  days  later.  "  I  am  so  very  glad  to  get  away," 
he  wrote  from  the  former  place,  "  for  I  am  very  weary.  I  go 
up  alone,  with  an  infinite  Almighty  God  to  direct  and  guide 
me,  and  am  glad  to  so  trust  Him  as  to  fear  nothing,  and, 
indeed,  to  feel  sure  of  success." 

The  Soudan  lies  between  Egypt  and  Abyssinia ;  and  the 
two  Governments  could  not  be  otherwise  than  deeply  inter- 
ested in  the  country  of  the  Blacks.  Considerable  jealousy 
existed  between  the  two  countries,  and  several  battles  had 
quite  lately  been  fought. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  ten  years  before  there  had 
been  an  English  expedition  to  Abyssinia.  At  that  time 
Theodore  was  king,  and  he  then  held  in  captivity  a  number 
of  men  and  women  who  were  British  subjects.  Why  they 
were  in  durance  was  not  precisely  known,  excepting  that 
Theodore  was  angry  because  England  would  not  help  him 
against  the  Turks.  He  wrote  a  letter  to  Queen  Victoria, 
wliich  was  not  answered.  There  was  a  story  afloat  at  the 
time  to  the  effect  that  he  had  asked  the  hand  of  the  Queen 
in  marriage,   declaring   that  he   was    a   descendant   of  the 


198  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Queen  of  Sheba,  and  not  unworthy  of  becoming  allied  to 
the  Queen  of  England.  Whether  this  was  so  or  not,  no 
notice  was  taken  of  his  letter  •  and  considering  himself 
slighted  by  England,  he  seized  all  the  British  subjects  — 
several  missionaries  among  them  —  who  were  in  his  power, 
and  had  them  put  in  chains,  and  confined  in  his  rock  tower 
at  Magdala.  He  kept  them  there  for  some  lime,  always 
with  the  fear  of  death  before  their  eyes.  Our  Government 
was  almost  afraid  to  act,  for  it  was  feared  that  at  the  first 
intimation  of  an  invasion  Theodore  would  have  all  his 
prisoners  slain.  So  at  first  three  persons  were  sent  over 
with  a  conciliatory  message  from  the  Queen,  and  a  request 
that  King  Theodore  would  at  once  liberate  Her  Majesty's 
subjects.  Theodore  kept  the  messengers  in  suspense  for  a 
time,  and  then  imprisoned  them  also.  But  England  did  not 
choose  to  be  treated  in  this  way;  and  in  November,  1867, 
an  expedition  was  sent  out  under  the  command  of  Sir  Robert 
Napier,  afterwards  Lord  Napier  of  Magdala.  The  expedi- 
tion made  short  work  of  the  affair.  The  army  had  to  march 
four  hundred  miles  across  a  mountainous  country  that  was 
without  roads  —  sometimes  under  a  burning  sun,  and  some- 
times through  storms  of  sleet  and  rain  ;  but  they  reached 
Magdala  in  April.  The  Abyssinians  at  once  made  an  attack 
upon  them ;  but,  of  course,  they  were  repulsed.  The 
Abyssinians  had  five  hundred  killed,  and  nearly  two  thousand 
wounded,  while  the  English  had  none  killed  and  only  nine- 
teen wounded.  Then  Theodore  sent  the  English  prisoners 
out  of  Magdala  into  the  English  camp,  and  very  glad  they 
were  to  get  there  safely.  But  as  Theodore  himself  would 
not  surrender,  Sir  Robert  attacked  his  stronghold,  and 
Magdala  was  captured.  The  soldiers  who  entered  found 
King  Theodore  self-slain  inside  the  gate ;  and  Magdala  was 
completely  destroyed. 


IN  ABYSSINIA.  199 

The  widow  of  Theodore  died  in  the  English  camp  a  few 
days  later.  Their  orphan  boy,  the  heir  to  the  Abyssinian 
throne,  Alamayou,  aged  seven  years,  was  to  be,  by  the 
Queen's  own  orders,  taken  care  of.  He  was  first  sent  to 
school  in  India,  and  then  brought  to  England,  where  he  was 
treated  with  every  possible  kindness.  But  he  faded  away, 
and  died  before  he  reached  the  age  of  maturity. 

The  man  who  succeeded  Theodore  was  one  of  the  chief- 
tains who  had  revolted  against  him  —  Prince  Kassai.  He 
managed  to  get  an  Abouna,  or  Archbishop  (without  the 
laying-on  of  whose  hands  no  man  of  Abyssinia  can  be  made 
king)  to  crown  him,  and  he  became  King  John  the  Second 
of  Abyssinia,  better  known  as  Johannis.  He  was  not  the 
heir  to  the  throne,  and  the  rightful  heir  —  Goobasie  —  op- 
posed him,  but  without  success.  Johannis  became  firmly 
seated  in  power.  He  had  not,  however,  the  whole  of  Abys- 
sinia to  reign  over,  for  in  1874  Egypt  took  possession  of 
Bogos,  and  endeavored  to  secure  the  neighboring  province 
of  Hamacem.  These  two  places  belonged  to  Walad  el 
Michael,  who  had  been  imprisoned  for  opposing  Johannis, 
but  was  now  set  free  to  fight  for  his  own.  The  Abyssinians 
beat  the  Egyptians  in  one  battle  after  another ;  until  in  1876 
a  large  army  of  Egyptians,  under  the  command  of  Ratib 
Pasha  and  Loring  Pasha,  invaded  Abyssinia.  They  were 
joined  by  Walad  el  Michael.  The  Egyptians  were  thor- 
oughly beaten  ;  it  is  said  that  9000  were  slain.  Later  the 
Abyssinians  attacked  the  Egyptian  force,  and  this  time 
Egypt  won.  Some  time  after  Johannis  offered  to  give  up 
Hamacem  to  Egypt,  if  Egypt  would  surrender  Walad  el 
Michael  to  him.  But  the  envoy  who  took  the  message  from 
Abyssinia  to  Egypt  was  not  treated  well  by  the  Khedive ; 
and  he  was  at  last  sent  back  without  a  definite  answer. 
This,  as  may  be  assumed,  greatly  incensed   Johannis ;  and 


200  GENERAL    GORDON. 

it  was  at  this  critical  juncture  that  Colonel  Gordon  came  on 
the  scene. 

Walad  el  Michael  was  a  great  stumbling-block  in  the  way 
of  any  terms  being  made.  He  had  3000  men  with  him ; 
and  such  an  Abyssinian  chief  on  the  side  of  Egypt,  and  at 
the  place  where  peace  was  to  be  made,  was  very  much  in 
the  way. 

Dr.  Hill,  in  his  book,  gives  a  beautiful  letter  written  by 
Gordon  "between  Massawa  and  Keren."  He  was  in  the 
the  midst  of  solitudes,  riding  on  a  swift-footed  camel  over 
the  desert,  with  plenty  of  time  for  thought,  and  good 
thoughts  to  fill  up  the  time.  He  was  cheered  because  the 
Khedive's  despatches  were  kind  (how  could  they  be  other- 
wise when  addressed  to  the  man  who  had  done  so  much  for 
him?),  and  very  restful  and  happy  in  the  assured  presence 
of  God.  "These  interminable  deserts  and  arid  mountains 
fill  the  heart  with  far  different  thoughts  than  civilized  lands 
would  do.  It  was  for  this  that  the  Israelites  were  led  there. 
...  Of  course,  I  cannot  converse  with  the  Arabs  ;  so  on  one 
goes,  stalking  along." 

Before  he  reached  Keren  he  was  met  by  two  hundred 
cavalry  and  infantry  to  act  as  his  body-guard.  He  found 
this  much  more  irksome  than  solitude.  "  I  am  most  care- 
fully guarded.  At  six  yards'  radius  round  this  tree  where  I 
am  sitting  are  six  or  eight  sentries,  and  the  other  men  are 
in  a  circle  round  them.  Now,  just  imagine  this,  and  put 
yourself  in  ray  position.  However,  I  know  they  will  all  go 
to  sleep,  so  I  do  not  fret  myself.  I  can  say  truly,  no  man 
has  ever  been  so  forced  into  a  high  position  as  I  have.  It 
is  irksome  beyond  measure.  Eight  or  ten  men  to  help  me 
off  my  camel,  as  if  I  were  an  invalid  !  If  I  walk,  every  one 
gets  off  and  walks.     So,  furious,  I  get  on  again." 

A  graiKl  procession  met  him  as  he  neared  the  capital ; 


IN  ABYSSINIA.  201 

drums  were  beaten,  and  musicians  played,  and  dancers 
danced  before  him.  The  troops  were  drawn  up  in  line  to 
receive  him. 

It  was  not  long  before  Walad  el  Michael  came  to  see  him, 
attended  by  a  body  of  men.  Gordon  took  him  into  his 
house,  and  gave  him  a  paper  which  he  had  prepared,  stating 
that  Egypt  would  not  continue  the  war,  and  that  Walad 
should  have  a  government  either  under  Johannis  or  under 
Gordon  himself.  The  result  was  that  he  was  made  the  gov- 
ernor of  two  or  three  tribes. 

This  was  scarcely  settled  with  Johannis  before  Gordon 
had  to  be  away  again  to  fight  with  Menelek,  king  of  Shoa, 
who  had  attacked  Gondar,  an  important  town  in  the  south 
of  Abyssinia.  Gordon  was  afraid  that  Michael  would  take 
the  opportunity  of  Johannis's  absence  to  advance  on  Hama- 
cem.  But  he  left  things  in  as  safe  a  condition  as  he  could, 
and  then  left  Keren  for  Duggam  and  Kasala,  having  heard 
that  Darfour  was  in  revolt,  and  that  he  was  needed  there. 
So,  having  arranged  with  Aloula,  the  chief  general  of  Johan- 
nis, to  deliver  a  message  to  him,  to  the  effect  that  he  must 
agree  to  the  conditions  which  Gordon  had  placed  before 
him,  he  started  on  his  journey,  travelling  at  a  great  rate, 
although  the  weather  was  intensely  hot.  Several  interesting 
incidents  occurred  on  the  journey.  He  had  to  receive  and 
pay  a  return  visit  to  a  great  religious  man  from  Mecca. 
This  man  traced  his  descent  in  an  unbroken  line  from 
Mahomet,  and  was  everywhere  received  with  the  greatest 
veneration.  At  another  time  he  arrived  at  a  village  where  a 
fete  was  being  held.  The  men  were  dressed  in  long  shirts 
of  mail,  and  they  had  helmets  of  iron,  and  fringes  and  nose- 
pieces  of  chain  armor.  Even  the  horses  were  covered  with 
armor.  Their  swords  were  the  same  as  those  used  by  the 
old  Crusaders ;  in  fact,  the  whole  affair  was  a  remnant  of 
the  Crusades. 


202  GENERAL    GORDON. 

General  Gordon  and  his  escort  travelled  very  rapidly, 
doing  as  much  as  forty-five  miles  a  day,  resting  at  midday 
when  the  sun  was  very  hot,  and  making  the  journey  in  the 
evening  and  morning.  As  his  swift  camel  went  over  the 
desert  he  had  plenty  of  time  for  thought,  and  he  often  faced 
the  difficulties  of  his  position.  He  had  to  contend  with 
many  vested  interests.  He  had  to  fight  with  fanaticism, 
to  attend  to  Greeks  and  Turks  and  Bedouins,  and  the  large 
province  which  the  great  rebel,  Sebehr,  had  appropriated  to 
himself  at  Bahr  Gazelle  ;  and  he  was  quite  alone,  with  no 
means,  no  paraphernalia  of  power  to  surround  him.  One 
man  against  fearful  odds,  but  with  God  on  his  side  :  that 
has  been  the  story  of  General  Gordon's  whole  hfe. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

.     THE   LEVEL    BALANCE. 

"  You  drop  manna  in  the  way 
Of  starved  people." 

—  Merchant  of  Venue. 

THE  new  Governor-General  of  the  Soudan  reached  his 
seat  of  Government  early  in  May.  He  found  that  his 
home  was  a  palace  as  large  as  Marlborough  House,  pleas- 
antly situated  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  It  had  probably 
been  put  in  repair  before  his  arrival ;  but  nearly  one  hundred 
and  fifty  of  the  windows  had  been  broken  by  the  sister  of 
the  ex-Governor,  Ismail  Yacoub,  who  had  also  cut  the 
divans  into  pieces,  so  angry  was  she  that  Gordon  had  been 
sent  in  the  place  of  her  brother.  However,  the  people  had 
a  warm  welcome  for  the  new  Governor-General.  To  look 
at  Gordon  is  to  be  inspired  with  confidence  and  trust. 

He  found  that,  however  he  disliked  it,  he  would  have  to 
live  in  state.  There  were  two  hundred  servants  to  wait 
upon  him.  There  was  quite  a  ceremony  of  installation  — 
the  firman  was  read,  and  the  Cadi  presented  an  address, 
after  which  a  royal  salute  was  fired.  The  people  then 
waited  for  an  address  or  proclamation  from  their  Governor- 
General.  It  was  very  eloquent,  and  very  much  to  the 
point.  It  was  also  very  short ;  there  were  no  need  of 
reporters  to  assist  the  memory  of  those  who  heard,  for  it 


204  GENERAL    GORDON. 

was  an  address  that  no  one  would  forget.     The  address  was 
as  follows  :  — 

"  With  the  help  of  God  I  zuill  hohi  the  balance  levels 
The  people  were  delighted.  That  was  a  royal  speech 
that  every  one  could  understand  —  and  it  promised  them  all 
they  wanted.  Fairness  —  justice  —  who  deserves  or  has  a 
right  to  ask  for  more  ?  A  level  balance  is  the  one  need  of 
the  whole  world. 

There  was  a  great  holiday  at  Khartoum.  The  new  Gov- 
ernor at  once  set  himself  to  begin  reforms.  The  water- 
supply  of  the  town  was  bad  ;  and  Gordon  at  once  promised 
to  have  water  pumped  up,  so  that  all  might  have  that  great 
necessary  of  life.  Moreover,  he  made  the  hearts  of  the  very 
poor  glad  with  gifts.  A  friend  says  that  in  three  days  he 
gave  away  a  thousand  pounds  of  his  own  money  among 
them.  He  resolved  also,  that,  if  he  could  possibly  avoid  it, 
he  would  have  no  flogging.  The  whip  had  been  very  freely 
used  before,  but  Gordon  did  not  like  it.  Then,  too,  he 
would  hear  what  the  people  had  to  say.  It  had  been  as 
difficult  before  for  a  person  who  had  a  grievance  to  lay  it 
before  the  Governor,  as  it  would  be  for  a  private  person  to 
get  an  interview  with  the  Czar  of  Russia.  Indeed,  only 
those  who  required  help  least  had  been  able  to  secure  it ; 
for  those  who  were  about  the  person  of  the  Governor  had  to 
be  heavily  bribed  before  they  would  arrange  the  interview 
that  was  desired.  Gordon  soon  altered  all  that.  He 
wanted  the  people  to  trust  him,  and  he  wished  to  know  all 
about  them.  So  he  had  a  box  placed  at  the  door  of  the 
palace,  with  a  slit  into  which  petitions  and  letters  could  be 
dropped  ;  while  the  depositors  might  always  be  sure  that 
they  would  receive  attention. 

On  the  19th  of  May  General  Gordon  left   Khartoum  for 
Darfour,  the  most  westerly  province  of  the  Soudan,  in  order 


THE   LEVEL   BALANCE.  205 

to  quell  the  revolt  that  had  broken  out.  There  were 
ninety-seven  days  of  camel-riding  before  him,  and  plenty  of 
stiff  work  at  the  end  of  the  journey.  But  travelling  was 
good  for  him  :  the  rapid  movement  through  the  air  always 
brought  back  courage  and  hope,  and  confidence  in  himself, 
which  was,  however,  not  so  much  self-confidence  as  confi- 
dence in  his  mission  and  his  God. 

He  reached  El  Obeid,  the  capital  of  Kordofan,  by  the 
end  of  May.  El  Obeid  has  a  population  of  10,000.  It  has 
lately  been  much  talked  of  in  connection  with  the  terrible 
disaster  that  overtook  General  Hicks.  Gordon  did  not 
stay  at  Obeid,  but  pushed  on  to  the  frontier  of  Darfour. 
He  knew  that  the  rebels  were  besieging  the  garrisons  at 
Fascher,  Dara,  and  Kolkal.  Hassan  Pasha  had  gone  with 
a  force  of  16,000  men  from  Fogia  to  Fascher,  but  the 
force  had  not  been  heard  of.  Gordon  had  very  few  men 
with  him  ;  but  he  had  faith,  and  he  could  pray.  He  had 
prayed  the  Ever-Victorious  Army  into  victory.  He  had 
prayed  his  boats  up  the  Nile,  and  now  he  prayed  the 
revolted  tribes  into  helpers.  "  Now,  I  think  God  will 
enable  me  to  make  friends  with  the  different  tribes  between 
Fascher  and  Fogia,  and  I  trust  He  will  enable  me  to  go  to 
Fascher  with  two  hundred  men,  and  escorted  by  the  chiefs 
who  are  at  present  rebels."  It  was  that  faith  which  could 
remove  mountains.  A  little  later,  at  Oomchanga,  he  could 
write  that  he  had  made  peace  with  the  tribes  that  were 
around.  Many  of  the  rebels  came  tQ  ask  for  pardon. 
They  had  been  treated  so  abominably  by  the  Bashi-Bazouks 
that  Gordon  sympathized  with  them,  and  said  we  ought  to 
ask  pardon  of  them. 

He  was  at  this  time  not  far  from  Shaka,  and  he  decided 
to  go  there,  and  try  to  get  troops,  the  better  to  relieve 
Fascher.     Shaka  was  the  head-quarters  of  the  great  robber 


206  GENERAL    GORDON. 

chief  and  slave  dealers'  king,  to  frustrate  whose  designs  the 
Khedive  had  first  solicited  the  help  of  Baker,  and  then  of 
Gordon.  Sebchr  himself  was  at  Stamboul,  but  his  son  had 
command  of  his  hordes.  Gordon  described  Shaka  as  the 
Cave  of  Adullam,  where  all  murderers  and  robbers  were 
assembled,  and  from  whence  raids  were  made  upon  the 
negro  tribes  for  slaves.  Sulieman  had  10,000  soldiers  to 
fight  for  him  ;  and  Gordon  had  to  face  not  only  this  formid- 
able foe,  but  others  quite  as  terrible.  He  had  only  five 
hundred  "nondescript  troops,"  not  more  in  number  than 
his  little  "  Ever- Victorious  Army,"  and  men  of  a  very  differ- 
ent stamp,  who  were  cowardly  and  disloyal  again  and  again, 
and  at  one  time  certainly  were  planning  how  they  could  take 
the  life  of  their  leader. 

At  Toashia  he  found  nothing  but  a  half-starved  garrison  of 
three  hundred  and  fifty  men,  fit  for  nothing.  He  had  hoped 
that  they  would  swell  the  number  of  his  army,  but  they  had 
not  been  paid  for  three  years,  and  were  so  miserable  and  use- 
less, that  instead  of  taking  them  with  him,  he  decided  to  send 
them  back  to  Kordofan  to  be  disbanded. 

Then  he  hoped  to  be  assisted  by  a  sheikh,  whose  brother 
he  had  released  ;  but  here  again  he  was  disappointed.  He 
increased  his  numbers  by  pardoning  other  rebel  chiefs  ;  but 
he  felt  all  the  time  that  he  could  not  depend  upon  his  troops, 
and  this  was  his  greatest  trouble.  In  the  midst  of  it  all  he 
was  surrounded  by  thousands  of  determined  Blacks,  who 
looked  as  if  they  jneant  murder,  and  nothing  less.  Gordon 
knew  that  the  firearms  he  and  his  "troops"  had  were  almost 
useless  ;  and  he  felt  the  shadow  of  death  steal  over  him.  "  I 
prayed  heartily  for  an  issue,"  he  said  ;  "  but  it  gave  me  a  pain 
in  the  heart  like  that  I  had  when  surrounded  at  Masindi.  I 
do  not  fear  death,  but  I  fear,  from  want  of  faith,  the  results 
of  my  death  —  for  the  whole  country  would  have  risen.     It  is, 


THE  LEVEL  BALANCE.  207 

indeed,  most  painful  to  be  in  such  a  position.  It  takes  a 
year's  work  out  of  one.  However,  thank  God,  it  is  over,  and 
I  hope  to  reach  Dara  to-morrow."  He  found  afterwards  that 
he  had  been  absolutely  defenceless,  for  the  man  who  had 
carried  his  rifle  had  dropped  it,  and  it  was  broken,  so  that  if 
he  had  wanted  to  fire  he  could  not  have  done  so. 

Every  one  at  Dara  was  surprised  to  see  him.  Troops  had 
been  sent  out  to  meet  him,  but  had  taken  another  direction 
from  that  which  he  had  travelled.  Both  here  and  at 
Fascher  the  Pashas  had  been  doing  nothing  but  wait  for 
reinforcements. 

Gordon  was  obliged  to  send  an  expedition  against  Haroun, 
who  declared  himself  the  King  of  Darfour  ;  and  nothing  could 
be  done  until  he  was  subdued.  While  waiting  to  see  what 
would  be  the  result  of  this  effort,  the  Governor-General  re- 
ceived a  visit  from  the  chief  of  the  Razagat  tribe,  who  had 
come  to  declare  that  he  was  ready  to  side  with  the  Govern- 
ment against  Sebehr's  son,  who  had  pillaged  and  ill-treated 
them  continually.  But  another  trouble  now  faced  the  com- 
mander of  the  Soudan.  Food  was  scarce,  and  how  was  he 
to  feed  the  Razagats  who  were  willing  to  join  him  ?  Food 
was  wanted  in  other  directions  too.  Two  hundred  and  ten 
slaves  were  brought  to  him,  rescued  from  their  captors,  who 
were  so  miserable,  and  thin,  and  starved,  that  at  sight  of  them 
the  tender-hearted  Governor  burst  into  tears.  He  gave  them 
some  dhoura,  though  he  had  so  little  that  he  did  not  know 
what  he  should  do.  But  he  left  that  to  God.  "  I  declare 
solemnly,"  he  wrote,  "  that  I  would  give  my  life  willingly  to 
save  the  sufferings  of  these  people  ;  and  if  I  would  do  this, 
how  much  more  does  He  care  for  them  than  such  imperfec- 
tion as  I  am.  You  would  have  felt  sick  if  you  had  seen  them. 
Poor  creatures  !  thirty-six  hours  without  food."  They  had 
positively  been  living  on  grass  ! 


208  GENERAL    GORDON. 

From  Dara  the  Governor-General  went  toWadar  ;  for  news 
reached  him  that  there  was  difficulty  with  another  tribe — the 
Leopards,  as  they  called  themselves  —  who  had  attacked 
Toashia.  They  were  overtaken  by  a  fearful  thunderstorm, 
which  lasted  all  night.  "  I  put  on  my  great-coat,  put  up  my 
umbrella,  and  wished  for  dawn  !  "  A  battle  was  fought  in  the 
morning,  and  the  Leopards  were  beaten  ;  but  they  afterwards 
made  a  determined  attack,  and  although  there  were  only 
seven  hundred  of  them,  they  were  so  resolute  that  they  nearly 
won  a  victory.  Gordon  had  now  the  Masharin  tribe  to  help 
him  ;  and  in  this  engagement  their  chief  was  mortally  wounded. 
Gordon  was  disgusted  with  his  own  troops,  who  were  always 
afraid  to  fight,  and  let  others  do  their  work.  Indeed,  the 
true-hearted  man  had  to  endure  sorrow  of  all  kinds.  In 
order  to  subdue  the  Leopard  tribe  he  had  to  keep  them  from 
water ;  but  he  sympathized  so  much  with  their  sufferings  that 
he  suffered  with  them.  "  Consider  it  as  we  may,  war  is  a 
brutal,  cruel  affair,"  he  said.  But  his  determination  to  con- 
quer them  helped  him  to  be  victorious  even  over  his  o\vn 
kind  feelings.  He  would  not  allow  the  Leopards  to  drink 
until  they  sued  for  pardon.  Thirst  overcame  them.  They 
swore  fidelity  and  gave  up  their  spears  ;  and  then  Gordon, 
with  as  much  pleasure  as  they  felt  themselves,  signed  their 
pardon  and  rewarded  them  with  water. 

Next,  the  Governor-General  went  to  Fascher,  to  relieve 
the  hemmed-in  capital  of  Darfour ;  which  he  did,  although 
Hassin  Pasha  had  not  done  it  with  more  than  ten  thousand 
men,  and  Gordon  had  only  three  hundred. 

About  this  time  he  discovered  that  a  lieutenant-colonel, 
who  had  been  sent  out  from  Dara  with  an  expedition,  had 
accepted  a  bribe  from  the  chief  he  was  to  attack,  and  had 
done  nothing.  This  same  man  —  who  was  supposed  to  be 
supporting  (Gordon,  and  helping  to  carry  out  his  orders  — 


THE  LEVEL   BALANCE.  209 

had  tried  to  excite  the  fanaticism  of  the  people  against  him, 
by  giving  them  to  understand  that  Gordon  would  not  allow 
the  usual  call  to  prayer  to  be  issued.  This  was  very  far 
from  being  the  case.  Only  a  short  time  previously  he  had 
a  mosque,  which  the  Egyptians  had  before  seized  and  ap- 
propriated as  a  powder  magazine,  cleared  and  re-opened  for 
worship  ;  and  especially  ordered  the  crier,  or  muezzin,  tc 
call  the  people  to  prayers.  "  To  me  it  appears  that  the 
Mussulman  worships  God  as  well  as  I  do,  and  is  as  accepta- 
ble, if  sincere,  as  any  Christian,"  a  sentiment  which,  what- 
ever way  we  may  judge  it,  certainly  made  it  exceedingly 
cruel  of  this  lieutenant-colonel  to  pretend  that  Gordon  pre- 
vented the  crier  to  prayer  from  doing  his  duty ;  and  he  was 
so  angry  that  he  gave  the  crier  two  sovereigns,  and  sent  the 
lieutenant-colonel  into  banishment,  so  that  he  might  have 
time  to  reflect. 

Troubles  and  perplexities  thickened  around  General  Gor- 
don.    He  described  the  chief  of  them  in  very  few  words  :  — 

"  Sebehr's  son,  with  his  3000  men,  tiow  want  to  help  me 
{i.e.,  ravage  the  country)  against  my  will  !  Haroun  is  rav- 
aging the  country  to  the  north,  and  I  am  placed  between 
these  two  forces.  The  whole  of  the  tribes  around  Sebehr's 
son  are  hostile  to  him,  and  partially  hostile  to  ;«<?,  and  in 
favor  of  Haroun  ;  but  asking  me  to  help  them  against  the 
armed  force  of  Sebehr's  son  —  a  triangular  duel." 

In  the  midst  of  it  he  received  intelligence  that  the  slave 
traders,  with  6000  troops,  had  reached  Dara.  He  hurried 
there  at  once,  arriving  long  before  his  escort,  having  ridden 
eighty-five  miles  in  a  day  and  a  half.  There  was  no  dinner 
for  him,  but  he  had  some  sleep  ;  and  then,  rising  at  dawn, 
he  put  on  the  golden  armor  the  Khedive  had  given  him, 
and  rode  off  to  the  robber  bands.  On  his  way  he  was  met 
by  the  son  of  Sebehr,  "  a  nice-looking  lad  of  twenty-two," 


210  GENERAL    GORDON. 

and  then  he  went  into  the  rebel  camp.  "  The  whole  body 
of  chiefs  were  dumfounded  at  my  coming  among  them. 
After  a  glass  of  water  I  went  back,  telling  the  son  of  Sebehr 
to  come  with  his  family  to  my  divan.  They  all  came,  and, 
sitting  there  in  a  circle,  I  gave  them  in  choice  Arabic  my 
ideas  —  That  they  meditated  revolt ;  that  I  knew  it,  and 
that  they  should  now  have  my  ultimatum  —  viz.,  that  I 
would  disarm  them  and  break  them  up.  They  listened  in 
silence,  and  then  went  off  to  consider  in  silence  what  I  had 
said.  They  have  just  now  sent  in  a  letter  stating  their  sub- 
mission, and  I  thank  God  for  it." 

Gordon  was  able  to  tell  Sulieman  that  he  knew  he  had 
only  three  days  before  fired  three  shots  close  to  his  tent. 

Sulieman  was  forgiven ;  but  the  trouble  was  not  soon 
over.  Gordon  feared  he  would  have  to  make  him  a  pris- 
oner, which  he  did  not  wish  to  do,  for  he  had  a  good  deal 
of  admiration  for  him.  "I  cannot  help  feeling  for  him,"  he 
wrote,  "  for  he  is  a  smart  little  fellow ;  the  terror  in  which 
he  has  kept  the  mightiest  of  these  freebooters  is  something 
wonderful.  They  are  all  afraid  of  him,  and  he  made  men 
of  all  sorts  prisoners." 

Sebehr's  son  got  very  angry  with  Gordon  because  he 
would  not  give  him  robes.  It  is  a  wonder  that  he  did  not 
kill  him.  He  might  have  done  so.  Even  then  Sulieman 
could  feel  far  more  sure  of  his  men  than  Gordon  of  his. 

At  that  time  General  Gordon  had  the  grief  to  discover 
that  his  black  secretary  had  taken  ^3000  backsheesh.  He 
said  it  was  horrible.  He  sent  the  man  to  Khartoum  to  be 
judged  ;  and  in  his  j^lace  appointed  Bcrzati  Bey,  a  clever 
young  Mussulman,  with  whom  he  was  very  well  pleased. 
The  black  secretary  was  sent  to  Khartoum  to  meet  the  jus- 
tice that  was  due  to  him. 

In  September  he  decided  to  ride  to  Shaka  and  complete 


THE  LEVEL  BALANCE.  211 

what  had  been  begun  by  the  submission  of  Suheman,  He 
rode  through  the  forest ;  and  when  he  was  six  hours  from 
Shaka  he  had  an  invitation  from  Sebehr's  son  to  come  and 
see  him.  When  he  was  nearer  still,  Sulieman  and  his  ofti- 
cers  came  to  meet  him.  They  were  very  subdued,  and 
apparently  sincere  in  their  penitence.  Sulieman  said  that 
Gordon  was  his  father,  and  he  wished  him  to  make  his 
home  with  him.  Gordon  decided  to  go.  He  wrote  a  note 
in  the  "  Cave  of  AduUam,"  as  he  called  the  home  of  the 
robber  chiefs  son.  He  had  made  himself  quite  at  home, 
and  rather  rejoiced  in  the  astonishment  which  he  knew 
would  be  felt  at  his  unceremoniously  taking  his  seat.  "  I 
am  in  the  son's  house.  He  never  used  to  let  anyone  sit  in 
his  presence,  and  must  be  shocked  at  the  famiharity  with 
which  every  one  was  treated  by  me.  He  is  sitting  out  in 
the  verandah  —  I  expect  to  excite  my  pity.  However,  a 
short  diet  of  humble  pie  will  not  be  bad  for  him.  What  an 
amount  of  trouble  he  has  given  me  and  everyone  !  " 

He  stayed  there  for  two  days,  and  then  went  to  Obeid, 
taking  Sulieman  with  him.  The  town  of  Shaka  was  full  of 
slaves.  The  Arabs  were  quarrelling  as  to  whom  they  would 
choose  for  chiefs.  They  selected  one  man,  and  crowned 
him  with  corn-leaves. 

As  he  went  to  Obeid,  Gordon  had  a  suspicion  that  actu- 
ally a  caravan  of  slaves  was  going  with  him.  There  were 
many  women  and  children,  but  the  merchants  declared  they 
were  their  wives  and  children.  He  found  at  last  that  eighty 
slaves  were  really  going  up  with  him  in  chains.  He  was 
very  disheartened  ;  slavery  met  him  ever^'Avhere,  but  he  did 
not  see  that  he  could  release  them  \  he  only  insisted  on  the 
chains  being  removed. 

General  Gordon  got  very  tired  just  at  that  time  with  the 
thought  of  the  2300  miles  he  had  ridden  over  the  desert, 
and  the  many  miles  he  had  yet  to  go. 


212  GENERAL    GORDON. 

On  the  road  to  Obeid  he  picked  up  slaves  constantly. 
He  found  a  little  black  boy  who  had  been  left  behind,  and 
also  a  lad  with  a  string  of  slaves  ;  some  were  dying,  and 
some  were  ill.  He  lost  all  patience  and  hope.  It  seemed 
no  use  trying  to  subdue  the  trade.  It  was  more  than  man 
could  do ;  he  felt  that  none  could  accomplish  it  but  God. 

The  people  at  Obeid  were  delighted  to  see  him  again. 
But  he  did  not  stay  there  long.  He  went  on  to  Khartoum. 
He  was  wanted  to  do  so  much  that  his  camels  could  not  keep 
up  the  pace  which  he  required.  At  Khartoum  he  had  peti- 
tions to  read  and  hear,  and  trials  of  murderers  and  others 
to  attend  to.  "  You  can  have  little  idea  of  the  amount  of 
work  I  have  to  do,  and  I  never  have  a  Sunday  or  a  day  of 
rest.  Now  that  I  have  given  up  all  drinking  of  wine  or 
spirits,  I  am  much  better,  and  sleep  well ;  but  it  is  a  fever 
life  I  lead.  Were  it  not  for  the  very  great  comfort  I  have  in 
communion  with  God,  and  the  knowledge  that  He  is  Gov- 
emor-General,  I  could  not  get  on  at  all." 


CHAPTER  XXL 

ROMULUS   GESSI. 

"  No  man  can  justly  praise 

But  what  he  duth  effect." 

—  Timon  of  Athens. 

FROM  Khartoum  General  Gordon  started  to  visit  Walad 
el  Michael's  camp  at  Hellal.  This  necessitated  a  sail 
up  the  Nile,  and  gave  the  rest  which  he  needed,  and  which 
was  of  the  utmost  use  to  him.  From  Berber  to  Dongola  the 
journey  was  again  made  on  camels,  and  he  happened  not  to 
have  very  good  ones  provided.  At  Berber  he  found  that 
there  was  to  be  an  illumination  in  his  honor,  which  he  did 
not  at  all  admire.  At  Meroc  he  was  surrounded  by  people. 
A  real  live  Governor  is  not  often  seen  in  those  parts  ;  and 
the  people  were  so  eager  to  pour  their  complaints  into  his 
ears,  that  they  actually  shouted  after  him  for  hours  when  he 
left.  They  threw  dust  on  their  heads,  and  waved  their 
clothes,  and  shouted,  "  We  are  miserable,"  until  Gordon  felt 
inclined  to  shout  back,  "  So  am  I."  And,  indeed,  he  was  ; 
for  he  was  at  that  time  not  only  tired,  but  ill.  When  he 
reached  Abou  Heraz,  he  found  that  of  the  twenty-eight 
camels  which  he  owned,  fourteen  had  died  of  smallpox.  To 
compensate  for  that  worry,  the  next  thing  he  recorded  was 
that  the  nights  were  wonderful  with  the  new  moon.     The 


214  GENERAL    GORDON. 

air  was  exceedingly  clear,  and  they  saw  the  crescent  and  the 
whole  circle.  He  heard  that  the  Greeks  at  Kassala  and 
Katarif  employed  gangs  of  slaves  to  cultivate  tobacco  and 
other  things  ;  so  he  decided  to  have  the  slaves  seized.  On 
his  way  he  had  a  little  incident  with  the  "  holy  man  "  among 
the  Mussulmans  who  was  before  mentioned.  Gordon  had 
once,  by  mistake,  sat  upon  his  divan,  and  so  broken  through 
the  rules  of  Mussulman  etiquette ;  but  on  this  occasion  he 
was  careful  to  leave  the  seat  of  honor  for  the  priest,  and  he 
also  presented  him  with  twenty  pounds. 

The  good  man  could  not  help  wishing  that  Gordon  would 
become  a  Mussulman.  Others  had  wished  so  too ;  but  the 
Governor-General  did  not  intend  to  change,  and  he  knew 
that  if  he  did,  he  would  be  less,  and  not  more  respected  by- 
the  people. 

On  the  1 6th  of  December  he  reached  the  camp  of  Walad 
el  Michael.  He  found  it  on  the  top  of  a  high  mountain. 
To  reach  it  two  hills  had  to  be  scaled,  and  this  was  terrible 
work  for  the  man,  already  exhausted.  He  found  Walad  with 
7000  men,  all  armed  and  drawn  up  to  receive  him.  The 
chief  himself  was  not  there,  but  he  sent  his  son.  Gordon 
went  on  towards  the  camp  of  the  chief,  who  was  said  to  be 
ill  with  a  bad  knee.  A  procession  of  priests  with  sacred 
pictures  walked  before  Gordon,  and  in  front  of  him  was 
Walad's  general-in-chief.  At  length  the  skeikh  was  reached  ; 
and  having  paid  his  respects  to  him,  (iordon  was  taken  to  a 
hut  which  was  appropriated  to  him  during  his  stay.  The 
hut  looked  suspicious,  especially  as  similar  huts  for  his  ten 
attendants  were  grouped  around,  and  they  found  themselves 
boxed  up  into  a  very  small  space. 

"What  does  this  mean?"  asked  the  eyes  of  his  ten  sol- 
diers. 

Gordon  himself  felt  that  the  position  was  more  than  a 


ROMULUS   GESSI.  215 

little  dangerous.     But  he  was  able  now,  as  in  all  the  crises 
of  his  life,  to  retain  his  coolness  and  courage. 

"  If  Michael  wants  to  make  me  a  prisoner,  of  course  he 
can  do  so,"  he  said  to  the  interpreter,  "  but  he'd  better  not ; 
it  would  be  worse  for  him  in  the  end." 

Both  Michael  and  his  son  at  once  commenced  to  make 
such  profuse  apologies  that  the  General  knew  that  at  present, 
at  all  events,  he  was  not  a  prisoner. 

"  It  is  all  right,"  he  said  to  his  host ;  "  only  if  the  news 
reached  Senheit  that  I  was  so  boxed  up,  they  might  think 
I  was  a  prisoner,  and  that  would  cause  too  much  excitement 
to  be  pleasant  for  any  of  us." 

The  next  day  he  had  a  long  talk  with  Michael,  in  which 
he  advised  him  to  show  a  little  humility  toward  Johannis, 
and  ask  for  pardon.  "  That  is  impossible,"  replied  Walad 
el  Michael,  "  and  we  need  talk  no  more  on  that  point,  for  it 
is  waste  of  time." 

He  asked  Gordon  to  give  him  more  districts  —  that  he 
might  plunder  them,  of  course  —  and  declared  that  if  Gordon 
would  not  prevent  him,  he  could  take  another  Abyssinian 
town,  Adoua.  But  the  Governor-General  would  not  hear  of 
that. 

News  came  to  Gordon  at  this  time  that  the  troops  had 
attacked  some  of  Johannis's  tribes,  which  annoyed  him. 
Gordon  was  trying  to  make  peace  between  Egypt  and 
Abyssinia  —  a  peace  that  should  be  satisfactory,  and  there- 
fore lasting  ;  but  he  was  hindered  at  every  turn.  He  sought 
to  get  from  Johannis  a  promise  of  pardon  for  the  men  of 
Walad  el  Michael ;  but  Johannis  was  so  long  in  answering 
his  letter  that  by  the  end  of  the  year  he  went  back  to  Khar- 
toum, travelling  via  Suakim  and  Berber.  He  was  not  well 
—  so  much  travelling  on  camels  had  shaken  him.  He  had 
ridden  during  the  year  nearly  four  thousand  miles. 


216  GENERAL    GORDON. 

In  the  beginning  of  January,  1878,  Colonel  Gordon  was 
summoned  to  Cairo  by  the  Khedive,  who  wanted  to  consult 
him  on  the  state  of  his  iinances,  which,  at  that  time,  was 
anything  but  satisfactory.  He  was  obliged  to  obey  the 
summons,  although  he  would  rather  not  have  done  so,  and 
he  started  off  at  once  on  the  long  journey,  taking  with  him  a 
present  of  some  curious  old  armor  and  regalia,  which  the 
Khedive  afterwards  presented  to  the  Paris  Museum.  He 
was  received  by  the  Khedive  with  the  greatest  respect,  and 
lodged  in  the  palace  which  the  Prince  of  Wales  had  occu- 
pied during  his  visit.  Every  honor  and  attention  was  lav- 
ished on  the  Governor-General  of  the  Soudan,  who  certainly 
deserved  it  all  and  more,  but  who  scarcely  appreciated 
it.  The  change  from  the  desert  to  so  much  grandeur  was 
so  great  and  sudden  that  he  and  his  men  were  quite 
dazed. 

His  visit  to  Cairo,  instead  of  proving,  as  it  ought  to  have 
done,  a  season  of  rest  and  recreation,  only  served  to  wear 
and  trouble  him  more.  The  difficulties  so  thickened  around 
him  that  he  sometimes  grew  tired,  and  wished  himself  away 
"  where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling  and  the  weary  are 
at  rest."  The  Khedive  would  not  agree  to  the  plans  which 
he  proposed ;  and  yet  Gordon  would  not  give  way,  for  he 
had  that  confidence  in  himself  which  every  man  has  who 
does  any  good  or  great  work  in  the  world.  He  felt  after- 
wards that  he  had  been  almost  too  outspoken  ;  but  that  was 
one  of  his  characteristics,  and  no  one  would  have  wished 
otherwise  of  him. 

Colonel  Gordon  remained  in  Cairo  until  the  end  of 
March,  when  he  left  for  Suez.  He  had  now  to  go  to  Zeila, 
which  formerly  belonged  to  Turkey,  but  had  been  annexed 
to  Egypt.  From  Zeila  he  went  to  Harrar,  where  Raouf 
Pasha,  whom  Gordon  had  deposed  four  years  before,  was 


ROMULUS   CESSI.  217 

again  carrying  matters  with  a  high  hand.  The  road  was 
very  bad,  and  he  had  to  go  on  horseback.  He  found  that 
the  road  was  used  for  the  conveyance  of  slaves,  and  at  once 
resolved  to  stop  that.  His  thoughts  were  not  pleasant. 
The  Khedive  was  trying  to  compel  him  to  make  bricks 
without  straw  —  to  carry  on  everything  at  the  Soudan  in  an 
expensive  way,  without  allowing  any  expenses  for  it.  But  in 
the  midst  of  everything  Gordon  remained  faithful  to  his 
duty. 

On  the  route  he  met  a  caravan  conveying  ;^  2000  worth 
of  coffee,  which  was  to  be  sold  for  the  private  benefit  of 
Raouf.  He  at  once  confiscated  it  —  for  Raouf  had  no  right 
whatever  to  it  —  and  dismissed  the  man  from  office. 

When  Gordon  reached  Harrar,  he  found  that  three  cows 
had  been  slaughtered  in  honor  of  his  arrival.  It  was  worse 
than  the  illuminations,  for  the  death  of  the  animals  distressed 
the  man,  who  could  not  bear  the  sight  of  suffering  in  any 
shape.  He  paid  five  pounds  for  the  cows,  and  felt  so  vexed 
they  had  been  killed,  that,  for  the  moment,  it  prevented 
him  from  noticing  Raouf,  for  whom  after  he  felt  sorry  in 
turn. 

Bad  news  reached  him  at  Massawa,  for  he  heard  that 
Walad  el  Michael  had  attacked  Ras  Bariou,  the  general  of 
Johannis,  and  slain  him.  On  his  way  back  to  Khartoum  he 
wrote  :  "  In  one  month  I  have  turned  out  three  generals  of 
division,  one  general  of  brigade,  and  four  heutenant-colonels. 
It  is  no  use  mincing  matters." 

At  Khartoum  he  found  all  work  greatly  in  arrears.  He 
had  to  attend  to  the  prisons,  which  were  in  a  very  bad 
state,  and  to  examine  into  the  case  of  each  prisoner.  The 
Khedive  also  had  wished  him  to  look  into  the  difficulties 
which  beset  his  scheme  of  making  a  railway.  The  finances, 
too,  were  very  unsatisfactory.     It  is  impossible  to  make  the 


218  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Soudan  pay  its  own  expenses  —  it  never  has  done  so  ;  and 
Gordon  found  that  in  one  year  it  had  cost  j[[,  259,000  more 
than  it  had  produced.  Things  seemed  to  be  wrong  every 
way ;  and  the  cares  and  troubles  of  state  so  oppressed  the 
brave  man  at  the  hehu,  that  if  he  had  not  been  a  Christian, 
and  able  to  rely  on  God,  and  felt  assured  of  divine  support, 
he  must  have  broken  down  altogether. 

One  result  comforted  him,  however :  in  two  months  he 
had  stopped  twelve  caravans  of  slaves. 

He  became  very  summary  in  his  dealings  with  the  traders. 
He  hung  a  man  for  mutilating  a  little  boy,  and  established  a 
"  government  of  terror  "  over  those  who,  for  their  own  greed, 
seemed  determined  still  to  traffic  in  human  bodies.  It 
greatly  troubled  the  Governor-General,  who  would  have  given 
his  life  to  prevent  it. 

But  in  the  mean  time  a  crisis  was  approaching. 

On  the  8th  August  he  wrote  :  "  I  have  a  nasty  revolt  in 
Bahr  Gazelle,  and  do  not  know  how  it  will  end." 

Sulieman,  the  son  of  Sebehr,  had  revolted,  and  again  had 
taken  possession  of  that  province. 

This  meant  that  all  kinds  of  cruelties  would  be  practised 
by  the  slave  dealers,  and  that  Sebehr's  gang,  if  unsuppressed, 
would  undo  all  the  work  of  reformation  which  had  been 
going  on  for  several  years.  Clearly,  a  force  must  be  sent  to 
fight  and  overcome  Sulieman. 

The  Governor-General  took  prompt  steps  at  once.  He 
seized  and  imprisoned  all  the  relatives  of  Sebehr  whom  he 
could  find,  and  confiscated  their  goods. 

Then  he  sent  an  expedition  to  Bahr  Gazelle,  under  the 
command  of  Romulus  Gessi,  the  Italian  before  mentioned. 
He  was  thus  described  :  "  Aged  forty-nine.  Short,  com- 
pact figure  ;  cool,  most  determined  man.  Born  genius  for 
practical  ingenuity  in  mechanics.     Ought  to  have  been  born 


ROMULUS   GESSI.  219 

in  1560,  not  1832.  Same  disposition  as  Francis  Drake. 
Had  been  engaged  in  many  political  affairs.  Was  interjDreter 
to  Her  Majesty's  forces  in  the  Crimea,  and  attached  to  the 
head-quarters  of  the  Royal  Artillery." 

Gessi  was  a  very  suitable  man  for  the  expedition. 

He  went  into  the  equatorial  province  for  troops,  and  then 
started  on  his  mission.  He  was  at  first  greatly  hindered. 
It  was  flood  time  :  all  the  tributaries  of  the  Bahr  Gazelle 
were  overflowing.  This  was  a  sore  trouble  to  Gessi,  for  news 
came  which  made  him  wish  more  than  ever  to  meet  the  rebel 
Sulieman.  These  tidings  were  to  the  effect  that  he  had  pro- 
claimed himself  the  Lord  of  the  Bahr  Gazelle.  He  had  sur- 
prised a  garrison,  massacred  the  troops,  and  appropriated  to 
himself  the  stores  of  ammunition.  Of  course  he  had  been 
opposed  by  the  chieftains  near ;  but  he  had  slain  the  men, 
and,  worst  of  all,  had  made  slaves  of  the  women  and  chil- 
dren whom  he  did  not  butcher.  The  people  were  star\ing  ; 
for  Sulieman  had  stolen  their  grain,  and  they  had  nothing  to 
eat  but  leaves  and  grass. 

Gessi  could  not  at  once  begin,  and  the  Arabs  who  waited 
to  see  which  side  was  likely  to  win,  though  at  first  invited  to 
help  Gessi,  went  over  to  Sulieman.  The  latter  had  6000 
men,  while  Gessi  had  only  three  hundred  soldiers,  two  guns, 
and  seven  hundred  irregulars,  very  badly  armed.  Gordon 
had  been  asked  to  send  reinforcements,  but  the  "  sudd  "  at 
that  time  prevented  any  letters  from  going  up  the  Nile. 
Gessi  had  to  wait,  and  while  he  did  so  he  made  many  dis- 
coveries respecting  the  way  in  which  the  province  was  gov- 
erned. He  found  that  far  too  much  money  was  spent  upon 
it,  and  that  the  men  who  were  paid  had  so  little  to  do  that 
they  passed  much  of  their  time  in  play.  While  they  were 
still  waiting  the  troops  became  mutinous,  and  some  of  them 
deserted.  Gessi  soon  put  a  stop  to  this,  for  he  shot  the 
ringleader  and  flogged  others. 


220  GENERAL    GORDON. 

On  the  I  yth  of  November  he  began  his  march,  which  was 
one  of  the  most  difficult,  for  he  had  to  go  through  depths  of 
forests,  and  wade  through  rivers,  encumbered  though  he  was 
with  a  lot  of  women,  and  children,  and  slaves.  For  some 
days  he  saw  no  one  :  Sulieman's  men  had  fled.  Boats  were 
destroyed,  and  he  had  great  difficulty  in  getting  his  men 
across.  He  made  a  stockade  at  Wari,  behind  which  he 
could  leave  the  women  and  children.  The  natives  hailed  his 
approach,  and  told  him  that  ten  thousand  persons  had  been 
taken  away  from  the  Bahr  Gazelle  into  slavery  by  Sulieman, 
The  latter  promised  that  he  would  take  the  men,  and  let 
them  get  their  wives  and  children  back.  He  found  plenty 
ready  to  help  him,  for  the  cruelties  of  Sebehr's  son  made 
them  eager  for  revenge. 

At  Uem,  Idris,  a  friendly  Arab,  gave  Gessi  seven  hundred 
armed  men  to  help  him  ;  and  with  these  he  took  possession 
of  the  stronghold,  which  he  strengthened,  and  in  which  he 
waited  for  the  approach  of  Sulieman.  In  this  stronghold 
he  had  to  remain  a  considerable  time.  Sulieman  attacked 
him  four  times.  Gessi  was  often  in  great  straits ;  and  once 
he  had  to  collect  and  re-cast  the  bullets  which  Sulieman  fired 
into  the  camp. 

On  the  1 2th  of  January,  1879,  there  was  very  severe  fight- 
ing, and  Gessi  won  a  decided  victory.  Of  Sulieman's  force 
more  than  a  thousand  were  slain  ;  but  Gessi  dared  not  follow 
the  enemy,  for  Sulieman  had  many  more  men  than  he. 
After  that  there  was  a  fortnight  of  quiet ;  but  on  the  28th  of 
January  Sulieman  again  made  an  attack.  Gessi  had  a  little 
more  ammunition  by  this  time.  A  terrible  onslaught  was 
made,  and  Gessi  was  compelled  to  meet  the  enemy  in  the 
open,  for  his  huts  had  been  set  on  fire  by  the  shells.  Again, 
however,  he  was  victorious. 

Some  time  passed,  and  then  Gessi  had  some  powder  sent 


ROMULUS   GESSI.  11\ 

him,  which  made  him  feel  that  he  might  attack  the  enemy. 
His  men  were  as  brave  as  the  Ever- Victorious  Army  had 
been  ;  they  won  one  victory  after  another,  and  rescued  hosts 
of  slaves.  He  proved  himself  a  man  after  Gordon's  own 
heart,  doing  the  same  kind  of  work,  and  very  much  in  the 
same  way  as  the  Governor-General. 

Early  in  May  he  went  to  find  Sulieman.  When  he  had 
nearly  reached  the  robber's  den,  an  attack  was  made  upon 
him,  but  he  (Gessi)  pressed  on  and  got  into  Sulieman's 
camp.  The  men  plundered  the  camp,  and  Sulieman  managed 
to  escape.  Gessi  tried  to  follow  him,  but  the  troops  did  not 
do  so  well  as  they  might  have  done.  Sulieman  had  passed 
through  a  village,  and  only  one  woman  was  left  behind  to 
tell  the  tale.  Gessi  told  his  men  to  search  for  stragglers  in 
the  grass ;  they  found  one,  and  compelled  him  to  act  as 
guide. 

They  went  on,  trying  to  overtake  Sulieman,  and  their 
march  revealed  many  atrocities.  They  came  upon  the  mur- 
dered bodies  of  litde  children,  who  had  not  been  able  to 
keep  up  with  the  others,  and  had  been  slaughtered.  They 
found  a  great  slave-chief  (Abu  Shnep),  and  entered  into 
conflict  with  him,  A  strange  thing  happened  to  Gessi. 
Seven  men  mistook  his  camp  for  that  of  Rabi,  who  was 
Sulieman's  companion.  They  told  him  that  Sultan  Idris 
was  coming  with  a  force  to  assist  Sulieman.  This  informa- 
tion helped  Gessi  very  much.  He  managed  to  get  Rabi's 
men  and  the  Sultan's  into  conflict ;  and  then  had  a  fight,  and 
won,  which  victory  provided  his  men  with  food.  Rabi 
escaped,  and  so  did  the  Sultan.  The  league  of  the  slave- 
drivers  was  broken  up,  and  Gessi  marched  back  to  Dem. 

Early  in  July  Gessi  again  heard  of  Sulieman,  whom  he  at 
once  pursued.  Suheman,  knowing  this,  fled  before  him. 
Gessi  followed  with  three  companies ;  and  on  the  night  of 


222  GENERAL    GORDON. 

* 

15  th  July  he  overtook  the  enemy  at  Gara.  He  had  no 
compunction,  for  these  men  had  devastated  villages,  and 
murdered  families  and  tribes  in  cold-blooded  cruelty  for  so 
long,  that  the  very  babes  seemed  crying  for  revenge.  Gessi 
had  two  hundred  and  ninety  men,  and  the  rebels  were  seven 
hundred  ;  but  Gessi's  men  had  excellent  rifles.  He  sent  to 
Sulieman,  calling  upon  him  at  once  to  lay  down  his  arms,  and 
giving  him  ten  minutes  in  which  to  decide.  The  slave  dealers 
were  quite  taken  by  surprise  ;  for  Gessi  had  come  upon 
them  while  they  were  asleep.  They  could  not  tell  but  that 
the  latter  had  an  immense  force  to  back  him,  so  they  sent 
word  that  they  would  surrender.  They  were  told  to  come 
and  lay  down  their  arms.  Dr.  Hill  •  relates  the  conversation 
which  took  place  between  Gessi  and  Sulieman  :  — 

"  What  !  have  you  no  other  troops?  " 

*'  No,  they  were  enough." 

"  And  I  had  seven  hundred  men."  He  began  to  weep  at 
the  thought  of  the  small  force  to  which  he  had  submitted. 
Turning  to  one  of  his  chiefs,  he  said,  — 

"  They  had  not  more  than  three  hundred  men  !  and  you 
told  me  there  were  three  thousand  of  them.  If  only  my 
father  had  been  here  to  take  the  command,  we  should  never 
have  been  beaten." 

The  prisoners  were  taken  care  of;  Gessi  would  not  have 
had  them  bound  but  for  the  news  that  they  intended  to 
escape. 

"  Then,"  said  Gessi,  "  I  found  that  the  time  had  come  to 
settle  with  these  people  once  for  all  "  ;  and  he  proceeded  to 
do  it.  To  the  common  soldiers  he  offered  pardon,  on 
condition  that  they  went  back  to  their  own  country  and 
settle  down  to  a  peaceful  life.  They  accepted,  and  went 
off  under  an  escort.  The  small  slave  dealers  were  made 
1  Colonel  Gordon  in  Central  Africa. 


ROMULUS   GESSI.  223 

prisoners  and  sent  away.  The  eleven  chiefs  were  sliot. 
They  had  been  told  two  years  before  that  if  they  went  on 
with  their  slave-hunting,  they  should  answer  for  it  with 
their  lives.  They  did  so  now.  Sulieman  sank  on  the  ground 
in  terror,  and  another  wept ;  but  they  were  all  executed,  as 
they  deserved  to  be. 

And  so  ended  the  great  revolt  of  Sebehr,  for  in  the 
person  of  his  son  he  paid  for  the  crimes  that  he  had  com- 
mitted, although  Sebehr  himself  was  allowed  to  live  on  by 
the  authorities  in  Cairo. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

KING   JOHANNIS   OF   ABYSSINIA. 

"  His  life  was  gentle;   and  the  elements 
So  mix'd  in  him,  that  Nature  might  stand  up 
And  say  to  all  the  world,  This  was  a  man  !  " 

—  Jidius  CcFsar. 

TO  return  to  Colonel  Gordon.  We  find  that  he  had 
been  occupied  in  many  ways  while  Gessi  was  accom- 
plishing the  great  work  of  punishing  the  slave  dealers  in  the 
Bahr  Gazelle.  Two  things  troubled  him  more  than  all 
beside  —  the  slave  trade  and  the  finances  of  the  Soudan. 
But  there  were  plenty  of  other  troubles  too.  He  had  several 
times  been  so  anxious  about  Gessi,  that  he  had  scarcely 
strength  to  endin-e  the  strain.  Nubar  had  to  look  after  the 
finances,  and  was  half  inclined  to  get  money  by  becoming 
friends  with  Sebehr.  He  heard  news  which  pleased  him 
when  he  was  told  that  Walad  el  Michael  had  sent  in  his  sub- 
mission to  Johannis.  He  was  not  inclined  to  be  severe  upon 
the  King  of  Abyssinia.  He  was  summoned  to  Cairo  three 
times,  but  he  did  not  go.  He  was  worried  almost  out  of  his 
life  about  the  slaves.  The  Khedive  told  him  he  was  to 
punish  slave-dealing  with  death.  But  then  the  Khedive  had 
also  issued  an  order  tliat  the  punishment  of  slave-dealing  was 
to  be  an  imprisonment  from  five  months  to  five  years.     And, 


KING   yOHANNIS    OF  ABYSSINIA.  11> 

on  the  other  hand,  Nubar  Pasha  sent  him  a  telegram  to  say 
that  slave-purchasing  in  Egypt  was  legal.  All  this  tried  him 
exceedingly.  He  tells  of  passing  caravans  —  one  with  two 
slave  dealers  and  seventeen  slaves,  some  of  the  women  being 
quite  naked ;  and  another  with  seven  slave  dealers  and 
seventeen  slaves.  "  Nothing  could  exceed  the  misery  of 
these  poor  wretches ;  some  were  children  of  three  years  old. 
I'hey  had  come  across  the  torrid  zone  from  Shaka,  a  journey 
from  which  I  and  my  camels  shrunk.  I  got  the  slave  dealers 
charged  at  once,  and  then  decided  about  the  slaves." 

He  had  to  go  to  Shaka  soon  after  that.  He  ordered  the 
slave  dealers  to  get  away  from  the  village  which  they  had 
thought  their  own  ;  and  they  departed  at  the  command  of 
the  Governor-General,  who  hoped  they  never  would  come 
back  again.  He  found  that  there  was  a  great  panic  among 
the  slave  dealers  everywhere,  for  they  had  heard  of  Sulie- 
man's  defeat  and  death. 

At  Shaka,  Gordon  had  a  telegram  ordering  him  to  send 
up  ;z^i 2,000  to  Cairo.  He  replied  that  his  troops  were 
several  months  in  arrear,  and  had  no  clothes  ;  so  he  sent  to 
Cairo  to  ask  them  to  send  him  ;^i 2,000. 

At  Shaka,  Gordon's  25,000  troops  were  all  black,  and  all 
recruited  fn^n  slaves. 

From  Shaka,  Gordon  went  to  Kalaka,  where  he  found  at 
least  a  thousand  slaves  wandering  about.  From  Kalaka  he 
went  to  Dara,  and  then  to  Fascher  and  Kobeyt,  in  the  north 
of  Darfour.  He  heard  that  Kalkal  was  beset  by  brigands  ; 
so  he  went  to  see  about  it,  travelling  over  a  road  which  no 
one  had  travelled  for  two  years.  The  lands  were  miserable, 
but  he  thought  it  was  no  use  writing  to  the  Khedive,  who 
had  enough  on  his  hands.  He  sent  out  to  Khartoum  four 
hundred  Arabs,  who  needed  food  and  clothes  :  "  a  great 
deliverance  of  useless  mouths."     In  June  he  went  to  Toas- 


226  GENERAL   GORDON. 

chia ;  and  his  march  was  made  horrible  by  the  number  of 
skulls  which  he  found  on  the  road.  He  had  them  put  in 
heaps  by  the  wells,  as  monuments  of  the  cruelty  of  the  slavers. 
As  he  was  going  from  Oomchanga  to  Toaschia,  he  caught 
five  or  six  hundred. 

On  the  25th  of  June  the  two  heroes,  Gordon  and  Gessi, 
met.  Both  looked  much  older.  Gordon  had  Gessi  made  a 
Pasha  of  the  Bahr  Gazelle,  and  ^2,000  was  presented  to 
him  for  his  useful  services.  The  two  men  soon  parted  — 
Gessi  to  complete  his  work  and  Gordon  to  go  on  to  new 
surprises  —  for  at  Fogria  the  news  reached  him  that  Ismail, 
the  Khedive  of  Egypt,  was  deposed ;  and  Gordon  was 
ordered  to  proclaim  throughout  the  Soudan  the  fact  that 
Tewfik  was  his  successor. 

From  that  time  he  began  to  long  for  home.  He  was 
sorry  for  Ismail,  although  Tewfik  was  evidently  inclined  to 
be  kind  to  him.  Gordon  cannot  help  getting  attached  to 
the  people  whom  he  serves.  "  It  grieves  me  what  sufferings 
my  poor  Khedive  Ismail  has  had  to  go  through." 

On  July  2ist  he  wrote  home  :  —  "I  shall  {D. F.)  leave  for 
Cairo  in  ten  days,  and  shall  hope  to  see  you  soon  :  but  I 
may  have  to  go  to  Johannis  before  I  go  to  Cairo." 

This  is  exactly  what  he  had  to  do.  He  reached  Cairo  on 
the  23d  of  August,  and  left  for  Massawa,  on  a  mission  to 
King  Johannis,  on  August  30t]i.  The  Khedive  Tewfik  sent 
a  messenger,  on  Gordon's  arrival  at  Cairo,  to  tell  him  that 
the  palace  was  at  his  disposal ;  but  he  felt  cross,  and  at  first 
inclined  to  stop  at  the  hotel.  His  secretary,  Berzati  Bey, 
however,  advised  him  not  to  do  so,  and  he  therefore  accepted 
the  courtesy  of  the  Khedive.  The  latter  was  glad  to  consult 
Colonel  Gordon  on  many  points;  and  first,  they  had  a  talk 
about  the  threatened  attack  of  the  generals  of  Johannis, 
Aloula,    and    Walad    cl    Michael,    on    the    Bogos    territory. 


KING   yOHANNIS   OF  ABYSSINIA.  ITJ 

Gordon  was  asked  if  he  would  go  to  Johannis  on  a  special 
mission,  and  he  repUed  that  he  would  go,  and  then  he  would 
retire  from  the  service  of  the  Khedive,  The  Egyptian  men 
thought  that  the  Governor-General  had  been  a  Httle  too 
friendly  with  Johannis,  and  Gordon  found  that  there  had 
been  many  absurd  speculations  and  reports  afloat  concerning 
him.  He  said  that  if  there  were  any  more  evil-speaking,  he 
would  ask  the  Khedive  to  punish  the  "  evil-speaker,"  by 
niaking  him  Governor-General  of  the  Soudan  ! 

He  started  on  his  mission  to  Johannis  on  the  nth  of 
September,  taking  with  him  one  person  only,  his  secretary 
and  interpreter,  Berzati  Bey.  He  was  first  to  visit  Aloula. 
He  had  not  proceeded  far  on  his  journey  before  he  was 
told  that  Walad  el  Michael  was  imprisoned  by  Aloula,  in 
accordance  with  Johannis's  orders.  Colonel  Gordon  was 
starting  on  a  mission  as  difficult  and  dangerous  as  any  in 
which  he  had  previously  been  engaged.  The  Abyssinians 
were  in  possession  of  the  Bogos  district,  and  he  was  to  ask 
the  king  to  give  it  up  ;  at  the  same  time  he  was  to  under- 
stand that  the  Khedive  wished  neither  to  fight  nor  to  pay. 

The  road  was  very  bad,  and  Gordon  suffered  a  good  deal 
from  palpitation  of  the  heart,  for  he  had  to  walk  many  miles, 
and  had  only  a  mule  on  which  to  ride.  He  had  plenty  of 
time  to  consider,  and  he  thought  through  the  details  of  his 
mission  as  he  went.  He  was  going  with  empty  hands.  He 
saw  one  thing  clearly  —  that  with  or  without  the  help  of 
Johannis  he  must  get  rid  of  Walad  el  Michael  and  his  men  ; 
and  he  was  especially  hopeful  that  the  king  would  offer  an 
asylum  to  Michael's  men  when  they  left  Bogos. 

He  reached  Gura  on  the  afternoon  of  September  i6th, 
and  had  his  interview  with  Aloula,  which  he  described  in  a 
most  amusing  manner.  The  chief  was  swathed  in  a  white 
garment,  so  that  only  his  nose  was  visible,  and  to  the  mouth 


228  GENERAL    GORDON. 

both  he  and  the  rest  applied  their  veils,  as  if  something 
poisonous  had  entered.  "  Solemn  silence  prevailed,  and  I 
got  quite  distressed,  for  the  figure  at  the  end  never  moved, 
and  I  felt  as  if  I  must  feel  his  pulse,  for  I  thought  he  must 
be  ill."  After  a  time  the  solemnity  was  a  little  relaxed. 
Gordon  presented  the  Khedive's  letter,  but  it  was  slightingly- 
put  down  on  the  table  unread.  Aloula  said  that  the  king 
had  forbidden  smoking,  but  Gordon  might  smoke  if  he 
chose.  But  he  declined.  After  a  great  deal  of  fuss,  the 
interview  was  over,  and  it  was  arranged  that  Gordon  should 
go  on  to  the  king ;  and  in  the  meantime  Aloula  promised 
that  he  would  remain  quiet,  and  not  attack  Egypt. 

'I'he  envoy  accordingly  started  for  Debra  Tabor,  near 
Gondar,  a  journey  which  would  occupy  him  twelve  days. 
One  night  he  camped  near  the  place  where  Walad  el  Michael 
was  in  prison.  On  his  journey  he  very  narrowly  escaped 
being  taken  by  a  chief  and  his  men  who  were  in  revolt 
against  the  king.  Some  of  Aloula's  men  were  with  him,  or 
he  might  have  been  seized.  The  journey  was  altogether 
very  difficult  and  dangerous;  but  on  27th  October  he 
reached  the  man  who  chose  to  be  called  "The  King  of 
Kings."  The  guns  fired  a  salute,  which  Johannis  informed 
him  was  in  his  honor.  The  king  received  him  sitting  on  a 
raised  dais,  and  had  present  with  him  his  father  on  one  hand 
and  the  high  priest  on  the  other.  The  king  gave  him  audi- 
ence for  a  few  seconds,  and  then  told  him  he  could  retire, 
which  he  did. 

At  dawn  next  morning  the  king  sent  for  him,  and  imme- 
diately began  to  recount  his  grievances,  declaring  that  he 
had  been  grossly  wronged  by  Egypt.  As  Gordon  agreed 
with  him,  he  asked  why  he  had  come.  He  reminded  him 
of  the  letter  which  he  had  already  delivered,  but  which  he 
found  had  not  been  read.     The  letter  was  found  and  read  ; 


KING   yOHANXIS   OF  ABYSSINIA.  119 

and  then  the  king  stated  his  claim,  which  was  an  altogether 
preposterous  one,  and  which  the  envoy  said  was  not  for  him 
to  reply  to,  but  for  the  Khedive. 

The  king  went  away  to  the  baths  —  "a  hot  spring  coming 
up  through  a  bamboo  in  an  old  hut,"  said  Gordon,  who  had 
to  wait  some  time  before  he  could  know  the  king's  pleasure. 

Gordon  wanted  him  to  state  his  wishes  in  writing;  but 
this  Johannis  did  not  wish  to  do.  Gordon  heard  that  the 
Greek  consul  and  others  were  urging  Johannis  to  make 
great  demands.  He  told  the  king  that  although  he  had 
positive  orders  not  to  cede  Bogos  to  him,  he  would  try  to 
use  his  private  influence  with  Egypt  to  get  this  secured  to 
him.  Johannis  continued  very  cross  and  sulky,  and  at  last 
told  him  to  go  back,  and  he  would  send  his  own  envoy  with 
his  answer  to  the  Khedive.  Then  Gordon  asked  that  the 
Egyptian  soldiers  might  be  given  to  iiim,  whicli  made  Johan- 
nis more  angry  still,  and  he  told  him  to  start  at  once. 

After  he  had  left,  he  was  overtaken  by  the  king's  messen- 
ger, who  brought  him  a  letter  and  a  thousand  dollars.  He 
would  not  take  the  money  ;  and  later  he  read  the  letter,  as 
he  had  a  right  to  do  in  his  official  capacity  of  Governor  of 
the  Soudan.  When  it  was  translated  it  was  found  to  be 
very  insulting.  It  said  that  Johannis  had  received  the  let- 
ters sent  by  that  mafi,  and  he  would  not  make  a  secret 
peace  ;  if  the  Khedive  wanted  peace  he  must  ask  the  Sul- 
tans of  Europe.  Colonel  Gordon  wrote  to  the  Greek  consul 
to  ask  what  it  meant ;  and  having  had  an  answer  that  the 
king  would  do  as  he  pleased,  he  went  on  his  way. 

He  had  not  gone  far  before  he  was  taken  prisoner  by  the 
king's  orders.  Gordon  destroyed  his  journal  and  went  on. 
He  found  that  Ras  Arya,  the  officer  who  had  arrested  him, 
was  a  worthless  follow,  not  in  the  least  loyal  to  the  king. 
Gordon  gave  him  some  money  to  send  his  telegrams  safely, 


230  GENERAL    GORDON. 

and  after  a  time  got  free,  although  he  was  again  arrested 
later  on.  He  had  to  buy  his  way  out  of  Abyssinia  with 
gold.  But  at  last  he  reached  Massawa ;  and  to  his  great 
delight  and  thankfulness  found  an  English  gun-boat,  the 
Seagull,  waiting  for  him. 

The  following  amusing  story  was  afterwards  told  :  "  When 
Gordon  Pasha  was  lately  taken  prisoner  by  the  Abyssinians 
he  completely  checkmated  King  John.  The  king  received 
his  prisoner  sitting  on  his  throne,  or  whatever  piece  of  fur- 
niture did  duty  for  that  exalted  seat,  a  chair  being  placed 
for  the  prisoner  considerably  lower  than  the  seat  on  which 
the  king  sat.  The  first  thing  the  Pasha  did  was  to  seize 
this  chair,  place  it  alongside  that  of  his  Majesty,  and  sit 
down  on  it ;  the  next,  to  inform  him  that  he  met  him  as  an 
equal,  and  would  only  treat  him  as  such.  This  somewhat 
disconcerted  his  sable  Majesty  ;  but  on  recovering  himself 
he  said,  '  Do  you  know,  Gordon  Pasha,  that  I  could  kill  you 
on  the  spot  if  I  liked?'  'I  am  perfectly  well  aware  of  it, 
your  Majesty,'  said  the  Pasha.  '  Do  so  at  once,  if  it  is  your 
royal  pleasure  ;  I  am  ready.'  This  disconcerted  the  king 
still  more,  and  he  exclaimed,  '  What  !  ready  to  be  killed  ! ' 
*  Certainly,'  replied  the  Pasha ;  '  I  am  always  ready  to 
die  ;  and  so  far  from  fearing  your  putting  me  to  death,  you 
would  confer  a  favor  on  me  by  so  doing,  for  you  would  be 
doing  for  me  that  which  I  am  precluded  by  my  religious 
scruples  from  doing  for  myself — you  would  relieve  me  from 
all  the  troubles  and  misfortunes  which  the  future  may  have 
in  store  for  me.'  This  completely  staggered  King  Jolin, 
who  gasped  out  in  despair,  'Then  my  power  has  no  terrors 
for  you  ? '  '  None  whatever,'  was  the  Pasha's  laconic  reply. 
His  Majesty,  it  is  needless  to  add,  instantly  collapsed." 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

REST   OR   V/ORK? 

"  God  shall  be  my  hope,  my  stay,  my  guide, 
And  lantern  to  my  feet." 

—  Henry    VT. 

THE  next  tidings  that  the  world  had  of  General  Gordon 
were  to  the  effect  that  he  had  resigned  his  post  in 
Egypt.  This  caused  more  surprise  to  people  then  than  it 
will  to  those  who  have  been  following  his  career  as  it  is  now 
written.  Before  he  went  to  Abyssinia  he  had  made  up  his 
mind  to  do  so,  partly  because  of  events  in  Egypt,  and  partly 
because  he  needed  and  longed  for  rest.  On  the  15  th  Decem- 
ber Colonel  Gordon  telegraphed  to  the  Khedive  :  "  I  asked 
your  Highness,  when  I  was  taken  by  King  John,  on  14th 
November,  by  telegi-aph,  to  send  a  regiment  and  a  steamer 
with  two  guns  to  Massowa.  Your  Highness  has  not  done  so  ; 
and  had  not  the  English  gun-boat  been  here,  the  place  might 
have  been  sacked." 

It  was  a  happy  thing  that  the  gun-boat  Seagull  was  ready ; 
and  England  had  her  son,  of  whom  she  will  for  ever  be  proud, 
brought  safely  home. 

Many  things  had  occurred  to  give  pain  and  annoyance  to 
him.     Some  of  the  Khedive's  ministers  had  wished  to  in- 


232  GENERAL    GORDON. 

terfere  much  more  than  was  pleasant  to  Gordon.  The 
following  characteristic  letter,  written  to  M.  Ninet,  and 
afterwards  published  in  The  Echo,  throws  a  little  light  upon 
these  matters  :  — 

"  My  dear  M.  Ninet :  I  do  not  measure  myself  as  a 
soldier  with  a  Napoleon  I.,  nor  as  an  administrator  with 
a  Colbert.  I  claim  only  to  have  done  my  best  for  the  land 
the  government  of  which  was  entrusted  to  me.  I  dare  to 
assert  that,  spite  of  all  my  faults,  the  population  of  the 
Soudan  loves  me.  The  Egyptian  and  European  pubUc  are 
not  capable  of  criticizing  me.  A  man  must  be  in  the 
Soudan,  and  see  it  with  his  own  eyes,  to  know  how  things 
go  there.  If  the  councillors  of  the  Khedive,  and  his 
courtiers  pretend  that  I  have  betrayed  their  land,  in  the 
matter  of  taking  from  them  a  foot  on  the  Red  Sea  (for 
Abyssinia  or  Italy),  then  —  they  lie.  I  will  tell  you  what  I 
telegraphed  in  cipher  to  the  Khedive  :  '  If  France  and  Eng- 
land, after  they  put  all  Egypt's  sugar  into  their  own  pocket, 
should  leave  Egypt  in  the  lurch  by  refusing  her  the  little 
salt  she  needs,  then  turn  yourself  straight  to  Italy,  and  give 
her  a  haven  on  the  Red  Sea.'  It  was  my  duty  in  this  affair 
to  give  my  straightforward  opinion  to  the  Khedive.  One  of 
his  own  ministers  had  said  to  a  Consul-General  that  Egypt 
ought  to  give  a  port  on  the  Red  Sea  to  Abyssinia,  and  that 
such  a  concession  would  be  no  injury  whatever  to  the  Nile- 
land.  Now,  my  dear  M.  Ninet,  I  said  to  the  Khedive  in 
cipher  what  one  of  his  own  ministers  had  already  said  in 
open  language.  After  I  have  held  the  post  of  a  Governor- 
General  of  the  Soudan  (a  dignity  second  only,  on  account 
of  its  importance,  to  that  of  the  Khedive),  you  will  under- 
stand why  I  decline  to  hold  any  more  subordinate  place.  I 
am  going,  and  shall  return  no  more  to  Egypt,  where  I  could 


REST   OR    WORK?  233 

not  even  be  Khedive.  The  Khedive  is  a  noble  man,  and  I 
am  ready  to  die  for  him.  As  for  the  rest,  whether  they  say 
bad  or  good  of  me,  I  am  quite  indifferent. 

"  Your  friend,  Gordon." 

It  was  well  for  him  to  have  the  thought  of  the  love  of  the 
Soudanese  to  comfort  him,  for  he  needed  a  little  cheering. 
His  health  had  given  way.  He  had  really  been  quite  ill 
when  he  started  for  Abyssinia,  and  by  no  means  in  a  fit  state 
of  body  to  undertake  so  important  a  mission.  He  had  been 
doing  work  enough  for  several  men.  In  the  three  years 
during  which  he  had  been  Governor-General  of  the  Soudan, 
he  had  ridden  on  camels  and  mules  eight  thousand  four  hun- 
dred and  ninety  miles.  He  was  worn  out,  and  needed  rest. 
He  had  looked  forward  to  it  for  some  time.  In  his  letters 
he  had  playfully  written  of  the  good  things  which  he  had 
promised  himself  when  the  work  and  the  worry  of  his  Soudan 
administration  had  come  to  an  end.  He  would  lie  in  bed 
till  noon,  and  have  oysters  for  lunch,  and  take  no  journeys, 
and  receive  no  visits.  We  can  imagine  that  if  he  had  been 
allowed  to  carry  out  this  programme,  his  life  would  soon 
have  been  again  full  of  work ;  and,  perhaps,  if  he  could 
have  chosen  his  own  occupation,  it  would  have  been  some- 
thing like  that  which  he  had  done  at  Gravesepd. 

In  one  of  his  letters,  written  when  he  was  under  great 
pressure,  the  following  beautiful  passage  occurs  :  -  - 

"  I  will  tell  you  a  story  of  1848  years  ago.  There  was  a 
workman  of  Bethlehem  who  did  not  agree  with  the  great 
teachers  of  an  old  religion,  who  answered  them  roughly,  and 
who  did  not  conform  to  their  views,  or  pay  them  the  atten- 
tion to  which  they*were  accustomed.  He  was  always  in  the 
slums  with  very  dubious  characters.  This  annoyed  the 
church  class.     '  Why  do  you  frequent  those  slums  ? '     He 


234  GENERAL    GORDON. 

said,  '  These  slums  need  me  to  go  to  them ;  for  they  are  sick 
at  heart,,  and  I  bear  them  good  news.  I  tell  them  they  are 
worth  something,  in  spite  of  their  ill  deeds.  I  tell  them  their 
God  is  a  merciful  God,  and  that  He  has  worked  out  their 
salvation  not  for  their  merits.'  Now,  these  slum  people 
liked  their  visitor.  He  had  kind  words  for  them.  He  did 
not  look  on  them  as  pariahs.  He  rather  encouraged  these 
people,  and  he  never  said  words  of  despair  against  their 
evil  ways  ;  but  he  pointed  out  that  happiness  resulted  from  a 
holy  life.  His  strong  rebukes  were  against  the  white-robed, 
clean,  respectable  people,  who  thought  they  were  everything 
that  was  good,  because  they  had  prayer  meetings  and  sacri- 
fices, and  washed  their  hands  before  eating.  Well,  you  know 
this  story.  The  good  people  could  not  bear  the  home- 
thrusts  they  received,  and  so  they  murdered  him.  They 
were  too  good  to  do  it  directly,  but  they  worked  up  others  to 
do  it.  The  slum  people  liked  this  man  ;  he  was  never  hard 
on  them.  Some  very  dubious  characters  were  well  received 
by  him ;  but  he  was  not  polite  to  those  who  thought  them- 
selves good.  He  found  fault  with  the  invitations  they  gave 
to  dinner,  though  he  was  their  guest.  He  would  have  called 
on  the  '  divorced.'  He  would  have  tried  to  cheer  their  life, 
and  have  aided  them  to  see  that,  though  the  clerical  party 
would  not  notice  them,  they  were  still  God's  children. 
Fancy  that  none  of  these  slum  people  ever  went  to  church, 
or  ever  gave  a  sacrifice  !  They  were  like  our  own  slum  peo- 
ple. They  would  not  have  liked  any  of  the  clerical  people 
to  come  among  them,  for  the  clerical  people  would  have 
exclaimed,  '  I  am  better  than  you  ' ;  and  human  nature 
does  not  like  that,  and  will  never  crush  and  crowd  to  hear 
it." 

He  knew  so  well  what  human  nature  needed  and  liked, 
and  would  crowd  to  hear,  that  it  seems  almost  a  pity  he 


REST   OR    WORK?  235 

was  not  allowed  to  remain  in  quiet  and  talk  to  them. 
What  a  splendid  missionary  he  would  make  !  How  well 
he  could  have  taken  his  place  among  those  who  are  engaged 
on  the  Royal  Commission  to  inquire  into  the  housing  of  the 
poor  !  He  would  be  as  well  received  in  London  as  he  was 
at  Gravesend  ;  and  the  poor  people  would  soon  learn  to  bless 
the  kindly,  care-worn  face,  and  the  generous  hand  of  Chinese 
Gordon. 

But  he  was  not  left  to  enjoy  the  rest  and  quiet  that  he 
needed.  Early  in  May  there  was  a  good  deal  of  discussion 
on  the  appointment  of  Lord  Ripon  to  the  Governor-General- 
ship of  India. 

Many  considered  that  he  ought  not  to  have  been  appointed, 
and  that  it  was  a  mistake  on  the  part  of  the  Government  \  but 
before  the  surprise  evoked  by  the  appointment  had  died  away, 
it  was  increased  by  another  astonishing  report  to  the  effect 
that  Lord  Ripon  had  invited  Colonel  Gordon  to  become  his 
private  secretary,  and  that  Gordon  had  accepted  the  post. 

Most  persons  were  not  only  surprised,  but  displeased ; 
though  a  few  thought  it  would  prove  a  good  thing. 

The  Afghan  war  had  led  people  to  think  of  establishing  a 
border-line  between  the  English  and  Russian  empires ;  and 
Mr.  Chades  Marvin,  in  Merv,  the  Queen  of  the  World,  pointed 
out  the  man  to  do  it :  — 

"  We  should  choose  a  good  man  for  the  solution  of  the 
Anglo-Russian  frontier  question ;  we  should  allow  him  to 
choose  his  own  advisers  ;  we  should  give  him  abundance  of 
time  to  form  his  own  opinions  on  the  subject.  He  should 
have  unlimited  funds  to  conduct  explorations,  and  to  appoint 
assistant  explorers.  He  should  visit  in  succession  Russia  and 
Persia,  to  realize  correctly  the  genius  of  those  countries.  He 
should  have  absolute  freedom  in  the  preparation  of  his  plans, 
and  the  plan,  when  complete,  should  be  made  the  basis  of  a 
definite  and  final  setdement  of  the  Central  Asian  question. 


236  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  I  may  be  asked  to  point  out  the  Atlas  who  can  bear  this 
enormous  responsibihty  upon  his  shoulders.  We  have  not 
to  go  far  to  seek  him.  His  name  is  well  known.  He  is  not 
the  offspring  of  a  clique  ;  he  is  not  the  creature  of  a  faction. 
He  has  fought  well ;  he  has  ruled  well.  His  Christian  piety 
is  a  proverb  among  those  who  know  him ;  his  scorn  of  pelF 
and  preferment  is  so  remarkable,  that  he  almost  stands  alone 
—  he  hardly  belongs  to  a  place-hunting,  money-grubbing  gen- 
eration. He  possesses  the  entire  confidence  of  all  parties ; 
he  enjoys  the  admiration  and  love  of  the  nation.  Russia 
knows  nothing  to  his  detriment,  and  he  has  recently  earned 
her  respect  by  his  disinterested  exertions  on  her  behalf  in  the 
distant  East.  I  have  no  need  to  utter  his  name.  It  springs 
spontaneously  to  the  reader's  lips  —  Chinese  Gordon  !  " 

Colonel  Gordon  accordingly  proceeded  to  India  with  Lord 
Ripon,  and  some  of  the  newspapers  there  were  very  hopeful 
that  his  coming  would  do  great  good.  "  There  is  not  in  the 
world,"  said  one,  "  a  man  of  gentler,  kindlier  nature  than 
Colonel  Gordon." 

But  he  had  not  been  in  India  many  hours  when  he  saw 
that  he  had  made  a  mistake,  and  felt  that  he  must  at  once 
turn  round  and  come  back  again.  He  declared  that  nothing 
could  exceed  the  kindness  and  consideration  which  had  been 
shown  to  him  by  Lord  Ripon  ;  nor  had  he  ever  met  a  man 
with  whom,  in  the  arduous  task  he  had  chosen,  he  could  have 
felt  greater  sympathy.  Nevertheless,  he  decided  to  leave,  and 
thus  wrote  his  reasons  :  — 

"  In  a  moment  of  weakness  I  took  the  appointment  of 
private  secretary  to  Lord  Ripon,  the  new  (Jovcrnor-General 
of  India.  No  sooner  had  I  landed  in  Bombay  than  I  saw  that, 
in  my  irresponsible  position,  I  could  not  hope  to  do  anything 
really  to  the  purpose,  in  the  face  of  the  vested  interests  out 
there.     Seeing  this,  and  seeing,  moreover,  that  my  views  were 


REST   OR    WORK?  237 

SO  diametrically  opposed  to  those  of  the  official  classes,  I  re- 
signed. Lord  Ripon's  position  was  certainly  a  great  con- 
sideration to  me.  It  was  assumed  by  some  that  my  views  of 
the  state  of  affairs  were  the  Viceroy's,  and  thus  I  felt  that  I 
should  do  him  harm  by  staying  with  him.  We  parted  perfect 
friends.  The  brusqueness  of  my  leaving  was  unavoidable, 
inasmuch  as  my  stay  would  have  put  me  into  the  possession 
of  secrets  of  state  that  —  considering  my  decision  eventually 
to  leave  —  I  ought  not  to  know.  Certainly  I  might  have 
stayed  a  month  or  two,  had  a  pain  in  the  hand,  and  gone 
quietly ;  but  the  whole  duties  were  so  distasteful,  that  I  felt, 
being  pretty  callous  as  to  what  the  world  says,  it  was  better 
to  go  at  once." 

Immediately  before  he  had  left  India  a  telegram  was 
sent  him  urging  him  to  go  at  once  to  China.  He  wrote 
home  for  permission  to  go  ;  but  leave  was  refused,  as  it 
was  not  known  in  what  capacity  he  wished  to  serve.  So  he 
sent  in  his  resignation  to  the  War  Office,  which,  however, 
was  not  accepted  ;  and  permission  was  then  given  him  to  go 
to  China  on  condition  that  he  did  not  accept  any  military 
appointment. 

He  knew  that  war  was  probable  between  China  and 
Russia,  and  he  was  most  anxious  to  do  anything  he  could 
to  prevent  it.  "  To  me  it  appears  that  the  question  in 
dispute  cannot  be  of  such  vital  importance  that  an  arrange- 
ment could  not  be  come  to  by  concessions  on  both  sides. 
Whether  I  succeed  in  being  heard  or  not,  is  not  in  my 
hands." 

He  accordingly  paid  a  hurried  visit  to  China,  reaching 
Hong-kong  on  the  2d  July,  and  going  to  see  his  old  friend 
Li-Hung-Chang  at  Tien-tsin,  who,  when  he  saw  him,  was  so 
overcome  with  joy  that  he  fell  on  his  neck  and  kissed  him. 

We  have  already  briefly  referred  to  this  visit ;  and  given 


238  GENERAL    GORDON. 

tlie  memorandum  which  on  this  occasion  Gordon  gave  to  Li. 
He  assisted  his  former  companion  in  assuring  peace  instead 
of  war ;  and  he  left  the  land  of  his  former  exploits  with  the 
thanks  of  almost  every  one. 

The  Times,  in  an  article  on  Russia  and  China,  which 
appeared  in  April,  1881,  bore  the  following  testimony  to  the 
good  effected  by  Colonel  Gordon  :  — 

"  The  outbreak  of  hostilities  seemed  imminent,  when  one 
more  attempt  was  made  to  bring  about  a  peaceful  solution. 
The  Marquis  Tseng,  Chinese  Ambassador  at  the  Court  of 
St  James,  was  ordered  to  St.  Petersburg,  to  endeavor  to 
amend  the  action  of  his  predecessor ;  and  Colonel  Gordon, 
in  response,  it  is  understood,  to  an  indirect  invitation  of  the 
Imperial  Government,  went  personally  to  Pekin,  and  threw 
the  weight  of  his  great  personal  influence  into  the  scale  of 
peace.  The  efforts  of  both  were  so  far  successful  that  the 
danger  o'"  immediate  collision  was  staved  off .  .  . 

"This,  then,  in  the  spring  of  18S0,  seems  to  have  been 
the  political  position  at  Pekin.  Prince  Chun  and  the 
Empress-Regent  were  eager  for  war,  and  Tso  Tsung-tang, 
with  the  tattered  legions  which  had  never  dared  to  meet  the 
army  of  Yakoob  Khan,  vainly  believed  himself  i?^le  to  cope 
with  the  Russian  forces ;  while  Li  Hung-Chang  and  other 
great  satraps,  who,  with  a  juster  appreciation  of  the  relative 
strength  of  China  and  Russia,  desired  peace,  were  dom- 
inated by  the  power  of  the  Lnperial  name.  There  is  no 
need  to  dwell  on  the  circumstances  of  Colonel  Gordon's 
visit,  or  on  the  intrigues  which  attended  his  advent.  It  is 
enough  to  say  that  he  paid  a  visit  of  several  days  to  the 
great  Viceroy,  with  whom  he  had  acted  in  the  days  of  the 
great  Tai-ping  rebellion  ;  and  both  to  him,  and  subsequently 
to  the  high  authorities  at  the  capital,  urged  every  argument 
in   favor  of  peace.     Exposing  the  weakness  of  their  forts 


REST   OR    WORK?  239 

and  ships,  and  the  unwieldiness  and  imperfection  of  their 
whole  miUtary  organization,  he  is  said  to  have  warned  them 
that  the  outbreak  of  hostiHties  at  Kulja  would  be  followed 
by  the  invasion  of  Manchuria,  from  the  Amoor,  and  that 
they  might  expect  a  hostile  army  within  two  months  before 
the  gates  of  Pekin." 

After  returning  from  China,  Colonel  Gordon  went  to 
Ireland  for  a  short  time  ;  and  afterwards  visited  the  King 
of  the  Belgians,  who  was  at  that  time  greatly  occupied  in 
preparing  to  send  an  expedition  to  the  Congo.  He  had 
a  real  holiday,  if  a  short  one,  on  the  shores  of  the  Lake  of 
Lausanne  ;  and  then  turned  his  thoughts  to  the  Mauritius, 
whither  he  was  ordered  to  proceed  as  Commanding  Royal 
Engineer.  On  his  way  to  Mauritius  he  went  to  Suez  to 
visit  the  grave  of  his  former  helper  and  lieutenant  in  the 
Soudan,  Romulus  Gessi,  who  had  died  in  the  hospital  there 
from  the  effects  of  the  terrible  privations  he  endured  when 
shut  in  by  an  impassable  barrier  of  weeds  in  the  Bahr 
Gazelle  river.  Gordon  was  exceedingly  pained  to  hear  of 
the  death  of  his  friend. 

He  went  to  Mauritius,  and  appeared  greatly  to  enjoy 
the  ten  months  he  spent  there.  It  was  while  he  was  there 
that  news  came  to  the  effect  that  he  had  been  made  a 
Major-General. 

In  the  meantime,  fresh  work  was  offered  to  the  able 
worker. 

On  the  23d  of  February,  1882,  Sir  Hercules  Robinson 
sent  the  following  telegram  to  the  Earl  of  Kimberley  :  — 

"  Ministers  request  me  to  inquire  whether  Her  Majesty's 
Government  would  permit  them  to  obtain  the  services  of 
Colonel  Gordon,  R.E.,  C.B.  Ministers  desire  to  invite 
Colonel  Gordon  to  come  to  this  country  for  the  purpose 
of  consultation  as  to  the  best  measures  to  be  adopted  with 


240  GENERAL    GORDON. 

reference  to  Basutoland,  in  the  event  of  Parliament  sanction- 
ing their  proposals  as  to  that  territory,  and  to  engage  his 
services,  should  we  be  prepared  to  renew  the  offer  made  to 
his  predecessor  in  April,  i8Si,  —  to  assist  in  terminating 
the  war  and  administering  Basutoland." 

A  telegram  was  also  sent  to  Gordon  telling  him  that 
matters  had  become  very  grave,  and  asking  if  he  would 
place  his  services  at  the  disposal  of  the  Cape  Government. 
The  telegram  added  that  application  had  been  made  to 
Lord  Kimberley,  and  the  War  Oi](ice  had  given  consent. 
Accordingly  he  started  for  the  Cape,  and  arrived  there  to 
find  that  he  had  been  a  little  misled.  He  was  told  that  he 
would  eventually  have  the  affairs  of  Basutoland  placed  in 
his  hands ;  but  at  present  he  was  asked  to  take  command  of 
the  forces.  The  few  months  that  followed  were  somewhat 
disappointing  ones,  and,  in  the  result,  very  much  so  indeed. 

On  the  1st  of  July,  1882,  General  Gordon  took  command 
of  the  Colonial  forces  in  South  Africa ;  and  he  at  once 
issued  a  report  on  the  state  of  the  troops.  His  paper  was, 
like  himself,  exceedingly  direct  and  outspoken  ;  and  he  told 
the  truth  about  them,  although  the  truth  was,  on  many 
points,  very  unpalatable.  He  advised  the  formation  of 
a  native  militia,  with  block-houses  garrisoned  by  Europeans. 
He  declared  that  the  field  artillery  was  of  no  use  whatever. 
In  regard  to  the  Basuto  question,  he  said  that  the  limits  of 
the  native  locations  should  be  then  and  there  fixed  by  legal 
deeds,  and  that  all  who  encroached  upon  the  borders  of  the 
tribes  should  be  legally  proceeded  against,  as  this  would 
satisfy  the  natives,  and  cause  them  to  become  quiet  and 
contented. 

In  September,  (ieneral  Gordon,  in  company  with  the  Sec- 
retary for  Native  Affairs,  visited  Basutoland,  in  the  hope  of 
settling  the  disputes  that  had  arisen  between  the  natives  and 


BEST   OR    IV  OR  A'?  241 

the  white  squatters.  A  thousand  afmed  Basutos  met  and 
escorted  them,  and  they  had  an  interview  with  several  chiefs, 
who  professed  an  ardent  desire  for  peace,  and  disgust  at  the 
conduct  of  Masupha,  the  rebel  chief  who  had  been  the  prin- 
cipal factor  in  the  rebellion.  Gordon  next  had  an  interview 
with  Masupha  himself,  but  he  could  not  bring  the  chief  to 
reason  :  he  would  make  no  offer  of  submission,  and  declared 
he  would  not  be  satisfied  with  any  settlement  which  did  not 
give  him  independence.  Whilst  negotiations  were  going  on, 
and  General  Gordon  was  urging  Masupha  to  pay  the  hut  tax 
and  submit  to  the  authority  of  the  Government,  news  arrived 
that  an  expedition  under  Lerothodi  was  on  its  way  to  attack 
Masupha.  The  latter  was  so  enraged  at  the  tidings  that  he 
immediately  broke  off  negotiations  ;  and  General  Gordon 
was  so  displeased  at  such  a  step  being  taken  at  a  moment 
when  he  thought  his  efforts  might  prove  successful,  that  he 
tendered  his  resignation  to  the  Cape  Government.  This 
was  accepted  with  unseemly  haste,  and  he  started  forthwith 
for  England.  The  loss  to  the  colony  of  a  man  like  Gordon, 
at  such  a  critical  time,  was  most  serious,  and  indicated  a 
want  of  justice  and  wisdom  on  the  part  of  the  authorities 
that  was  exceedingly  surprising. 

At  the  end  of  the  episode  he  returned  to  London,  and 
soon  after  set  off  for  the  Holy  Land,  which  he  had  long 
wished  to  visit.  He  took  up  his  abode  near  Jerusalem,  and 
spent  the  time  in  pleasurable  quietness,  until  a  cry  of  many 
voices  reached  him,  "  Wanted  —  Chinese  Gordon  !  " 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

TROUBLES    IN    THE   SOUDAN. 

"  List  his  discourse  of  war,  and  you  shall  hear 
A  fearful  battle." 

—  Henry  V. 

IN  many  Mussulman  conntries  there  existed  a  belief  that 
on  the  completion  of  twelve  centuries  from  the  Hegira, 
the  Mahdi,  or  new  deliverer,  would  appear.  The  twelve 
centuries  were  reckoned  to  come  to  an  end  on  12th  Novem- 
ber, 1882.  But  one  who  would  not  wait  for  that  eventful 
day  had  already  arisen,  and  declared  himself  the  Mahdi. 
'I'his  was  a  man  about  thirty  years  of  age,  who  is  described 
as  being  tall  and  slim,  and  having  a  light  brown  complexion. 
His  name  was  Mahomet  Achmet,  and  he  was  the  son  of  a 
carpenter.  He  was  apprenticed  to  his  uncle,  who  one  day 
gave  him  a  beating,  which  so  enraged  him  that  he  ran  away, 
and  went  to  a  free  school  kept  by  one  of  the  dervishes  at 
Hoghali,  a  village  near  Khartoum.  This  school  is  attached 
to  the  shrine  of  the  patron  saint  of  Khartoum,  and  is  greatly 
venerated  by  the  natives.  From  this  school  he  went  to 
another  at  Berber,  where  also  there  is  a  shrine ;  and  he 
there  seemed  to  be  a  religious  boy. 

In  1870  he  became  the  disciple  of  Sheikh  Nur-el-Dami,  a 
name  which  means  "Continuous  Light,"  and  he  ordained 


TROUBLES  IN   THE   SOUDAN.  243 

him  a  faki  or  sheikh.-  After  this  he  went  to  Hve  in  the 
island  of  Abba,  on  the  White  Nile,  where  he  dug  a  cave  for 
himself,  which  he  called  a  retreat,  and  into  which  he  went 
constantly  to  worship.  He  began  to  be  known  as  a  very- 
pious  man,  greatly  given  to  fasting,  and  incense-burning,  and 
prayers.  After  a  time  he  was  joined  by  followers,  who  gave 
him  presents,  so  that  he  became  very  wealthy.  He  married 
as  many  wives  as  he  was  allowed  to  have,  and  always  took 
them  from  wealthy  families,  by  which  means,  of  course,  his 
own  wealth  and  influence  were  increased.  In  May,  1881,  he 
began  to  write  letters  declaring  himself  the  Mahdi  whom 
Mahomet  had  foretold.  He  said  that  he  had  been  sent  to 
reform  Islam,  that  he  would  bring  a  new  state  of  things  into 
the  Mohammedan  world,  that  he  would  establish  the  equality 
of  man,  and  make  the  rich  share  with  the  poor.  A  great 
many  people  at  once  believed  in  him,  and  followed  him. 
Then  he  went  further,  and  said  that  those  who  did  not 
receive  him  should  be  destroyed,  whoever  and  whatever 
they  were. 

Among  the  people  to  whom  he  wrote  was  Mahomet  Saleb 
of  Dongola,  whom  he  ordered  to  collect  his  followers  and 
join  him  at  Abba.  But  this  chief,  instead  of  doing  so,  wrote 
to  the  Government  an  account  of  the  doings  and  pretensions 
of  the  False  Prophet.  His  Excellency  Raouf  Pasha  thought 
it  time  to  interfere;  and  in  August,  1881,  he  sent  an  expe- 
dition to  meet  him. 

The  world  had  been  so  occupied  with  Arabi  Pasha  in 
Egypt,  that  very  little  notice  was  taken  of  the  Mahdi  for 
some  time;  but  on  the  19th  December,  1881,  news  came 
that  there  were  troubles  in  the  Soudan.  The  False  Prophet, 
at  the  head  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  men,  totally 
annihilated  an  Egyptian  force  of  three  hundred  and  fifty 
men,  who  were  led  against  him  by  the  Governor  of  Fashada. 


244  GENERAL    GORDON. 

The  Governor  himself  was  among  the  killed.  The  Gov- 
ernor-General of  the  Soudan  at  once  sent  for  reinforce- 
ments, and  the  Black  Regiment,  under  the  command  of 
Abdallah  Bey,  was  ordered  to  advance.  But  the  Egyptian 
forces  were  very  half-hearted  in  the  matter,  and  were  beaten 
again  and  again. 

In  July,  1882,  the  Mahdi  brought  his  followers,  and  made 
them  surround  the  Egyptian  soldiers  under  Yusef  Pasha. 
The  Egyptians  were  without  food,  and  were  easily  over- 
come, the  entire  army  being  massacred  by  the  Mahdi. 
After  that  he  marched  northward,  to  occupy  Shata  Domen ; 
and  his  army  attacked  Schatz,  and  slaughtered  the  people. 

He  had  set  his  heart  upon  the  capture  of  El  Obeid, 
which  town  was  garrisoned  by  6000  men.  Obeid  was  kept 
supplied  with  food,  and  for  some  time  the  rebel  could  not 
succeed  in  his  purpose.  At  Bara  and  at  Duern  the  Mahdi 
was  defeated.  He  lost  2300  men  at  Zidora,  Kordofan,  and 
Shcitfan. 

On  the  8th  of  September  he  attacked  Obeid,  and  was 
repulsed.  He  made  a  second  and  third  attack  with  the 
same  result;  and  on  the  last  occasion  10,000  of  his  men 
were  slain.  On  15th  September  the  following  report  was 
made:  "Abd-el-Kader,  the  commander  in  charge  of  the 
Egyptian  forces  in  the  Soudan,  and  now  at  Obeid,  is  in 
despair  at  not  receiving  reinforcements  from  the  Khedive. 
Khartoum  is  fortified,  but  the  soldiers  are  said  to  be  demor- 
alized, and  the  population  secretly  giving  their  adherence  to 
the  False  Prophet."  Obeid  had  then  been  under  siege  for 
forty  days. 

On  24th  October  some  reinforcements  sent  to  Kordofan 
were  entirely  destroyed.  Other  reinforcements  sent  from 
Khartoum  to  attack  the  rebels  at  Bara  were  defeated,  but 
afterwards  got  into  Bara,  and  won  a  victory. 


TROUBLES  IN   THE   SOUDAN.  245 

On  the  8th  of  December  a  man  arrived  on  the  scene  who 
was  Ukely  to  make  things  better,  if  it  were  possible,  and 
that  was  Colonel  Stuart ;  but  in  the  beginning  of  January, 
1883,  both  Bara  and  Obeid  surrendered  to  the  Mahdi,  who 
at  once  entered  the  latter  town,  and  took  up  his  residence 
there.  There  had  been  some  terrible  fighting  over  El 
Obeid.  It  is  described  as  a  long  straggling  town  at  the  foot 
of  an  open  slope,  down  which,  in  the  rainy  season,  the  water 
pours.  There  are  many  mosques  in  Obeid,  which  are  built 
of  mud  bricks,  of  which  also  the  houses  are  made.  The 
houses,  except  that  of  the  Governor,  have  no  upper  story. 
In  the  front  of  the  Governor's  house  was  the  gallows.  The 
market-place  consists  of  booths  of  matting,  and  presents  a 
lively  scene,  especially  in  the  morning.  Arab  women  are 
busy  selling  milk ;  their  hair  decorated  with  coral  and  gold. 
Mixing  with  them,  or  in  another  part  of  the  bazaar,  were 
Soudanese,  Nubian,  and  Egyptian  women,  selling  merissa, 
hair-grease,  sour  milk,  khasheesh  —  a  very  intoxicating  drug 
— liquorice  water,  thenna  —  a  paste  prepared  with  dry  leaves 
of  the  mignonettee  tree,  used  by  the  Arabs  for  the  purpose 
of  dyeing  their  nails  red  —  and  kohhl,  which  is  a  powder 
made  of  frankincense,  used  also  by  the  Arab  ladies  for  dye- 
ing the  lids  and  brows  of  the  eyes.  Tobacco  is  also  sold  in 
the  Obeid  market,  and  so  are  iron  and  brass  vessels.  In  the 
market  may  be  seen  Greeks,  Arabs,  and  Egyptians,  who  buy 
the  wares  offered  for  sale,  and  frequent  the  coffee  shops. 
They  are  dressed  in  all  sorts  of  gorgeous  colors  and  cos- 
tumes. Plenty  of  fruits  and  flowers,  especially  wild  flowers, 
grow  in  and  around  El  Obeid. 

The  Daily  News  published  a  very  curious  letter  which  had 
been  forwarded  by  its  special  correspondent,  Mr.  O'Dono- 
van,  and  which  shows  how  some  of  the  Mahdi's  followers 
regarded  him  :  — 


246  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  received  from  Yusef 
Effendi  Mansoor  and  Mohammed  Iskender  Bey,  officers  of 
the  regular  army  in  Kordofan,  who  are  at  present  prisoners 
at  Obeid  :  — 

"  In  the  name  of  God,  the  Merciful  ancrCompassionate. 
Thanks  be  unto  God,  the  Bountiful  Ruler ;  prayers  and  salu- 
tations unto  our  Lord  Mohammed,  and  to  his  people  resig- 
nation. From  the  servants  of  God,  Sheikh  Mohammed 
Iskender  and  Sheikh  Yusef  Mansoor,  formerly  officers  in  the 
Kordofan  army,  now  auxiliaries  of  the  Mahdi  (peace  be  unto 
him  !),  to  all  Muslim  officers  of  the  regular  troops  in  Khar- 
toum, and  to  the  Bashi-Bazouks,  and  to  civil  employees  from 
the  rank  of  general  down  to  that  of  second  lieutenant.  We 
warn  you,  oh  friends,  and  counsel  you  conscientiously,  by 
the  traditions  of  the  Prophet  (peace  and  salutation  unto 
him  !).  He  has  said,  'The  faith  of  man  will  not  be  perfect 
until  he  loves  his  brother  as  he  loves  himself.'  We  have  not 
been  constrained  to  write  you  this  our  warning ;  but,  fearing 
your  worldly  destruction  and  a  bad  end,  we  freely  offer  you 
advice.  Friends,  we  are  with  the  Mahdi,  and  as  we  have 
seen  him  regularly  for  the  past  six  months,  we  watch  his 
proceedings  attentively  ;  we  hear  all  that  he  says,  and  we 
have  not  found  in  him  a  grain  of  anything  that  is  bad  or 
unbecoming  his  holy  mission.  (Peace  be  unto  him  !)  By 
the  great  God  and  the  excellent  Koran  we  swear  that  he  is 
the  true  Mahdi  —  the  Expected  One.  There  is  no  other 
l)ul  he,  and  the  man  who  doubts  his  holy  mission  is  an  infi- 
del, and  God  has  already  decreed  it.  As  a  proof  of  this,  the 
large  amount  of  gold  and  silver,  with  immense  stores  of 
goods  which  came  into  his  possession,  has  no  interest  what- 
ever for  him  ;  and  it  lies  in  the  Muslim  treasury,  with  a  faith- 
ful and  trustworthy  man  in  charge  of  it  all,  and  who  dis- 
tributes it    to  widows  and   orphans  and  emigrants.      The 


TROUBLES  IN    THE   SOUDAN.  247 

Mahdi  seeks  nothing  but  God.  He  is  kind,  and  speaks  civ- 
illy to  all.  He  abhors  falsehoods,  and  his  pride  is  to  spread 
the  glory  of  our  religion.  He  fights  in  the  path  of  God,  and 
only  with  those  who  refuse  to  obey  him.  His  daily  life 
(peace  be  unto  him  !)  is  quite  opposed  to  worldly  matters, 
nor  does  he  care  for  its  enjoyments.  He  is  simple  in  his 
diet  and  plain  in  dress.  Kisaret  dourra  (millet)  steeped  in 
water  is  all  that  he  eats.  A  plain  shirt,  and  trousers  made 
from  the  native  cloth  is  all  that  he  wears.  He  is  always 
smiling,  and  his  face  is  as  resplendent  as  the  new  moon.  His 
body  and  form  is  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  on  his  right  cheek 
is  a  mole  (khal),  and  also  other  marks  which  are  written  in 
the  books  of  the  holy  law  are  stamped  upon  him.  He  nei- 
ther honors  the  rich  for  their  riches  nor  does  he  neglect  the 
poor  on  account  of  their  poverty.  All  Muslims  to  him  are 
equal.  Like  a  kind  father  to  his  children,  so  much  is  his 
kindness  towards  us.  Had  he  punished  us  for  what  we  have 
done  none  of  us  would  be  saved,  but  he  forgave  us  on  our 
repentance.  We  all  receive  a  sufficient  sum  from  the  treas- 
ury for  the  support  of  our  family,  but  do  not  get  any  fixed 
pay.  If  I  were  to  describe  to  you  all  the  good  qualities  of 
the  Mahdi,  it  would  take  a  long  letter  to  do  so.  He  is  fol- 
lowing the  footsteps  of  his  grandfather  [ancestor  ?]  —  peace 
be  to  his  bones  !  —  and  if  you  are  Muslims  and  the  sons  of 
Muslims,  banish  worldly  affairs,  and  follow  not  the  inclination 
of  sinful  souls,  which  leads  its  possessor  to  destruction,  but 
look  to  the  end  and  to  Paradise.  The  way  to  it  is  to  sur- 
render to  Sayed  el  Mahdi,  son  of  Sayed  Abdallah.  By  doing 
this  you  will  be  victorious,  and  be  auxiliaries  of  the  Faith. 
Beware  of  fighting  against  Muslims.  We  and  you,  God  will- 
ing, shall  fight  infidels,  the  enemy  of  the  Faith.  If  you  are 
believers  in  God  and  His  Prophet,  strengthen  yourselves  by 
rebellion,  and  avoid  assisting  infidels.     And  remember  that 


248  GENERAL    GORDON. 

victory  comes  from  God,  and   He  gives  it  to  whom  He 
pleases. 

"  With  the  numerous  army  of  the  Mahdi,  which  is  about 
two  hundred  thousand  fighting  men,  whose  souls  are  offered 
to  the  Lord,  we  have  also  Remingtons,  cannon,  and  rockets, 
which  we  have  taken  from  the  Turks,  besides  an  ample 
supply  of  ammunition.  The  Mahdi,  however  (unto  whom 
be  peace  !),  trusts  to  God  only,  and  will  prevent  fighting 
by  fire-arms,  spears,  and  swords.  He  fights  otherwise, 
and  his  connection  with  the  angels  is  well  known,  as  we  well 
know  from  the  history  of  Mohammed.  If  you  still  prefer 
worldly  enjoyments,  and  insist  upon  fighting  with  us,  you 
should  remember  what  happened  in  the  battles  of  Abba, 
Fashoda,  Ghedeer,  and  Kordofan ;  and  at  the  time  his  army 
was  small,  especially  at  Ghedeer,  where  he  had  no  fire-arms 
nor  weapons,  when  most  of  his  followers  had  sticks  only. 
By  the  great  God,  the  God  of  all  times,  he  has  not  bidden 
us  to  write  this  :  but  we  ourselves  do  so  of  our  own  free 
will,  fearing  for  your  safety.  We  have  begged  Khalifa 
Ledeek  and  the  Prince  of  the  Mahdi's  army,  Abdallah,  son 
of  Sayed  Mohammed,  to  write  this  letter  for  us.  Our  lord 
the  Mahdi  was  opposed  to  its  being  written.  For  our  sake 
he  consented.  The  matter  stands  as  we  have  explained, 
and  we  think  it  well  of  you  to  accept  our  advice.  If  you  go 
against  it  you  will  repent ;  but  your  repentance  will  not 
avail  you  when  destruction  comes.     Peace  ! 

"9    1  ■    f  i^  Sheikh  Yusef  Mansoor. 
^^  ^  °    (  Sheikh  Mohamimed  Iskender. 

"  Ei,  Obeid,  13th  Shaban,  1300  (i6th  June,  1883)." 

Before  this  time  all  indifference  on  the  part  of  the  English 
towards  the  affairs  of  the  Soudan  had  passed  away.  On  the 
6th  of  February  Lord  Duffcrin,  when  writing  on  the  re-or- 


TROUBLES  IN   THE   SOUDAN.  249 

ganization  of  Egypt,  wrote  the  following  in  reference  to  the 
Soudan : — 

"  Some  persons  are  inclined  to  advise  Egypt  to  withdraw 
altogether  from  the  Soudan  and  her  other  acquisitions  in 
that  region  ;  but  she  can  hardly  be  expected  to  acquiesce  in 
such  a  policy.  Possessing  the  lower  ranges  of  the  Nile,  she 
is  naturally  inclined  to  claim  dominion  along  its  entire 
course ;  and  when  it  is  remembered  that  the  territories  in 
question,  if  properly  developed,  are  capable  of  producing 
inexhaustible  supplies  of  sugar  and  cotton,  we  cannot  be 
surprised  at  her  unwillingness  to  abandon  them.  Unliappily, 
Egyptian  administration  in  the  Soudan  has  been  almost 
uniformly  unfortunate.  The  success  of  the  present  Mahdi, 
in  raising  the  tribes  and  in  extending  his  influence  over 
great  tracts  of  country,  is  a  sufficient  proof  of  the  Govern- 
ment's inability  either  to  reconcile  the  inhabitants  to  its 
rule  or  to  maintain  order.  The  consequences  have  been 
most  disastrous.  Within  the  last  year  and  a  half  the 
Egyptians  have  lost  something  like  9000  men,  while  it  is 
estimated  that  40,000  of  their  opponents  have  perished. 
Nor  does  this  chronic  slaughter  seem  to  be  nearer  its  con- 
clusion than  when  it  first  commenced.  Reinforcements  to 
the  extent  of  another  10,000  men  have  been  despatched 
to  Khartoum  ;  but  they  seem  to  be  raw,  undisciplined,  and 
disheartened  levies.  In  the  meantime,  Egyptian  garrisons 
at  Obeid  and  Bara,  and  various  scattered  posts  in  Darfour 
and  Kordofan,  are  cut  off  from  communication  with  their 
base,  many  of  them  are  surrounded,  and  some  are  pressed 
by  famine.  Obeid  still  holds  out,  but  Bara  seems  to  be  on 
the  point  of  surrendering. 

"Colonel  Hicks,  a  distinguished  retired  Indian  officer, 
has  been  engaged  by  the  Egyptian  Government  to  join  the 
commander-in-chief  of   the    Soudan  army  as  chief  of  the 


250  GENERAL    GORDON. 

staff.  A  few  retired  European  officers  accompany  him, 
wlio,  perhaps,  will  be  able  to  inspire  the  troops  with  confi- 
dence. Both  Colonel  Hicks  and  his  companions  have 
entered  the  Egyptian  service  on  their  own  responsibility, 
nor  have  either  Sir  Edward  Malet  or  myself  been  concerned 
in  the  arrangement. 

"  In  the  expectation  that  the  fresh  efforts  about  to  be 
made  will  result  in  the  restoration  of  tranquillity,  a  plan 
should  be  carefully  considered  for  the  future  administration 
of  the  country.  Hitherto,  it  has  caused  a  continual  drain 
on  the  resources  of  the  Egyptian  exchequer.  The  first  step 
necessary  is  the  construction  of  a  railway  from  Suakim  to 
Berber,  or  what,  perhaps,  would  be  still  more  advisable,  to 
Shendy,  on  the  Nile.  Another  scheme  of  railway  commu- 
nication has  been  proposed  down  the  Nile  valley,  but  it  has 
many  disadvantages.  The  promoters  of  the  Suakim  route 
maintain  that  the  construction  of  their  line  would  bring 
Cairo  within  six  and  a  half  days  of  Khartoum  —  the  time 
required  to  run  from  Suakim  to  Berber,  on  the  Nile,  being 
only  sixteen  hours  —  and  that  the  cost  would  be  under  a 
million  and  a  half.  The  completion  of  this  enterprise 
would  at  once  change  all  the  elements  of  the  problem. 
Instead  of  being  a  burden  on  the  Egyptian  exchequer,  these 
Equatorial  Provinces  ought  to  become,  with  anything  like 
good  management,  a  source  of  wealth  to  the  Government. 
What  has  hitherto  prevented  their  development  has  been 
the  difficulty  of  getting  machinery  into  the  country,  and  of 
conveying  its  cotton,  sugar,  and  other  natural  products  to 
the  sea.  The  finances  of  the  Soudan  once  rehabilitated, 
the  provincial  administration  would  no  longer  be  forced  to 
visit  its  subjects  with  those  heavy  exactions  which  have 
been,  in  all  probability,  at  the  bottom  of  the  present  dis- 
turbances, and  the  natural  expansion  of  commerce  would 


TROUBLES  IN    THE   SOUDAN.  251 

eventually  extend  the  benefits  of  civilization  for  some  dis- 
tance through  the  surrounding  regions.  I  apprehend,  how- 
ever, that  it  would  be  wise  upon  the  part  of  Eg}'pt  to 
abandon  Darfour,  and  perhaps  part  of  Kordofan,  and  to  be 
content  with  maintaining  her  jurisdiction  in  the  provinces  of 
Khartoum  and  Senaar." 

On  the  6th  of  June  news  reached  England  of  Hicks 
Pasha's  first  victory.  Five  thousand  of  the  enemy  were 
engaged,  and  five  hundred  killed ;  and  a  subsequent  tele- 
gram stated  that  the  Senaar  campaign  was  over.  The  Khe- 
dive sent  a  congratulatory  letter  thanking  the  forces.  With 
Abd-el-Kader  on  the  Blue  Nile,  and  General  Hicks  on  the 
White,  the  rebels  had  been  crushed.  They  boasted  that 
they  would  wait  at  Gebelain ;  but  they  fled  at  the  approach 
of  Hicks  Pasha  to  Kordofan. 

After  this  several  chiefs  sent  in  their  submission,  and  it 
was  hoped  that  the  Mahdi  would  do  so  too,  but  he  did  not. 
They  gave  to  Hicks  the  name  of  the  "  Great  Magician." 
Several  of  the  men  fighting  were  clad  in  coats  of  armor  like 
the  old  cnisaders.  The  correspondent  also  mentions  that 
Sir  Samuel  Baker's  steamers,  Ismailia  and  Khedive,  were 
doing  good  service. 

In  August  General  Hicks  was  making  his  preparations  to 
take  Obeid  from  the  Mahdi.  Reports  came  to  the  effect 
that  the  Mahdi's  followers  were  deserting  him.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  the  Egyptian  army  was  full  of  hope ;  and  so 
was  England. 

The  Mahdi's  movement  being  professedly  a  religious  one, 
it  was  deemed  inadvisable  to  place  at  the  head  of  the  Egyp- 
tian army  in  the  Soudan  a  foreigner  and  non-Mussulman, 
lest  this  might  be  taken  hold  of  by  the  insurgent  leader  to 
arouse  still  further  the  fanaticism  of  his  followers.  Accord- 
ingly,  Suleiman    Pasha,  whose  early  military  career  dates 


252  GENERAL    GORDON. 

back  to  the  time  of  Mehemet  Ali  and  the  Crimean  war,  was 
elected  to  the  chief  command,  but  with  the  distinct  agree- 
ment that  he  was  to  pay  strict  attention  to,  and  carefully 
carry  out.  General  Hick's  wishes  and  plans. 

The  march  was  a  very  tedious  one,  and  the  little  army  of 
Hicks  made  up  their  minds  to  hve  on  biscuits  and  grain. 
They  dreaded  the  famine  and  the  climate  much  more  than 
the  enemy,  but  their  greatest  anxiety  was  on  account  of  the 
water  supi)ly.  They  were  encouraged  by  the  submission  of 
the  principal  sheikh  of  Obeid,  with  three  hundred  horse- 
men. But  the  enemy  was  resolute,  and  the  way  was  very 
weary. 

Accompanying  Hicks  Pasha  were  Ala  Eddeen  Pasha  (the 
Governor-General),  Abbas  Bey,  Colonel  Farquhar,  Majors 
Seckendorff,  Massy,  Warner,  and  Evans ;  Captains  Heath 
and  Walker;  Surgeons  George  Bey  and  Rosenberg;  Mr. 
O'Donovan  of  the  Daily  News,  Major  Brody  of  the  Royal 
Horse  Artillery,  with  other  pashas  and  beys,  and  a  consid- 
erable number  of  Egyptian  officers. 

In  England,  although  people  hoped  for  the  best,  there 
were  many  forebodings,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  air  was  full 
of  coming  trouble.  Other  countries  felt  likewise,  for  the 
news  that  came  told  of  the  dangers  of  the  little  army  under 
Hicks.  An  Austrian  officer  —  Major  von  Seckendorff — 
described  the  march  from  Khartoum  to  Ducm  as  most 
trying  on  account  of  the  baggage,  but,  as  there  was  water, 
they  were  able  to  effect  it.  He  feared,  however,  there 
would  be  a  dreadful  dearth  of  water  during  the  advance  on 
Obeid,  since  the  wells  along  that  route  were  very  scarce,  and 
the  camels  only  carried  sufiicient  water  for  one  day.  The 
Mahdi,  he  said,  was  in  possession  of  15,000  good  breech- 
loaders, fourteen  gims,  and  a  numerous  and  excellent 
cavalry.  His  people,  too,  were  roused  by  fanaticism,  and 
would  fearlessly  ride  to  their  death. 


TROUBLES  IN   THE   SOUDAN.  253 

Hicks  Pasha  had  10,000  men,  6000  camels,  and  many 
pack-horses  and  mules.  The  latter  necessarily  impeded  the 
advance  into  a  desert  without  water.  The  writer  concluded 
with  the  following  words  :  "  If  our  cavalry  suffices  for  out- 
post duty,  success  is  possible,  otherwise  the  issue  Avill  be 
very  disastrous.  In  case  of  defeat  not  a  soul  of  ours  will 
return,  and  Khartoum  and  the  entire  Soudan  will  then  be 
irretrievably  lost,  since  all  believe  that  the  Mahdi  is  the 
Messiah."  A  letter  from  the  Austrian  Consul  at  Khartoum 
described  the  departure  of  Hicks  Pasha  with  his  army  from 
that  place  on  the  9th  of  September,  and  estimated  that  his 
forces  consisted  of  6000  infantry,  4000  Bashi-Bazouks,  five 
hundred  horses,  5500  camels,  four  Krupp  and  ten  mountain 
guns,  and  six  Nordenfeldts.  The  expedition  took  no  appa- 
ratus for  sinking  artesian  wells  such  as  was  used  in  Abyssinia. 
It  was  intended  by  the  General  to  establish  between  Duem 
and  El  Obeid  six  depot  forts. 

The  Consul  declared  in  his  letter  that  in  case  of  the 
Mahdi  being  victorious,  the  whole  of  the  Soudan  would  be 
lost  to  Egypt. 

For  some  time  there  was  no  news  of  Hicks  and  his  army. 
On  the  2 2d  November  the  daily  papers  declared  that  Hicks 
Pasha's  silence  was  beginning  to  cause  anxiety  in  Govern- 
ment circles.  The  prevalent  opinion  was  that  in  the  event 
of  his  defeat  a  complete  abandonment  of  the  Soudan  prov- 
inces would  be  preferable  to  a  continual  drain  of  blood  and 
treasure. 

The  next  news  was  terrible.  The  English  people  were 
not  prepared  for  the  awful  catastrophe  which  the  press  made 
known  on  the  morning  of  the  23d  of  November. 

The  news  was,  that  there  had  been  three  days'  fighting, 
and  that  Hicks  Pasha  and  his  army  had  been  utterly  annihi- 
lated. 


254  GENERAL    GORDOX. 

It  seems  that  Hicks  went  to  Kamua,  near  Obeid,  a  place 
with  hills  on  either  side.  He  sent  half  his  men  to  Obeid  to 
demand  its  surrender.  The  Mahdi  was  advancing  from  the 
south-east,  and  he  fell  in  with  that  portion  of  Hicks's  army 
which  was  on  its  way  to  Obeid,  and  attacked  it.  Hicks 
heard  the  firing,  and  brought  the  rest  of  his  army  to  join 
the  force  attacked  by  the  Mahdi.  The  battles  were  on  the 
3d,  4th,  and  5  th  of  November.  The  Mahdi  was  backed  by 
immense  numbers,  and  he  supplied  the  vacancies  with  fresh 
men.  Hicks's  army  had  formed  into  square,  and  his  whole 
force  was  destroyed.  The  English  officers  fought  gallantly, 
but  they  could  not  stand  against  the  overwhelming  might 
and  fury  of  the  enemy.  Hicks  had  10,000  men,  and  the 
Arabs  numbered  200,000. 

At  first  it  was  hoped  that  the  news  was  really  too  bad  to  be 
true.  It  was  thought  that  further  details  would  not  confirm 
the  first  horrible  tidings ;  but  subsequent  telegrams  only 
verified  them,  and  increased  the  anxiety  that  was  everywhere 
felt.  For  a  day  or  two  it  was  hoped  that  Mr.  OT)onovan 
would  not  be  among  the  slain,  and  great  interest  was  felt  in 
the  last  letter  that  had  been  received  from  him,  in  which  he 
said  that  the  troops  scarcely  deserved  the  name  of  soldiers, 
they  were  so  ignorant  of  the  art  of  fighting.  They  had  not 
sufficient  clothing,  and  had  received  no  money  for  several 
months.  They  had  no  heart  fc"  the  work,  for  many  would 
not  have  gone  at  all  if  they  had  not  been  compelled. 
O'Donovan  also  said  that  Hicks  was  greatly  inconvenienced 
by  the  conduct  of  Suleiman  Pasha,  who  just  then  opposed 
him  in  many  points. 

We  have  already  mentioned  that  Suleiman  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  assist  Hicks  ;  but  he  had  shown  such  apathy  and 
ajjparent  jealousy  of  the  Englishman  that  Ala  Eddeen  Pasha, 
the  present  Governor-General  of  the  Soudan,  removed  him, 


TROUBLES  IN   THE   SOUDAN.  255 

and  General  Hicks  received  the  whole  of  the  responsibility, 
and  was  made  Commander-in-chief  of  the  army.  Altogether, 
the  suppression  of  the  insurrection  was  felt  to  be  one  of 
enormous  difficulty,  and  the  able  correspondent  himself  was 
very  sad  at  heart  as  he  contemplated  the  possible  defeat  of 
the  army  to  which  he  was  attached. 

Very  little  can  ever  be  known  of  the  particulars  of  the 
disaster,  for  those  who  would  have  written  them  were 
killed. 

The  following  is  a  Times  telegraiTi,  published  later,  and 
sent  from  Khartoum  :  — 

"  The  first  and  only  survivor  of  Hicks  Pasha's  army,  a 
man  who  marched  with  Hicks  Pasha  from  Duem,  and  who 
has  now  come  back  in  safety,  arrived  here  last  night.  He  is 
a  native  of  Ivliartoum,  and  is  well  known  here.  He  states 
that  he  was  in  the  battle  of  Kashgate,  and  has  a  lance  wound 
in  the  back. 

"  During  the  fight,  owing  to  the  rocky  nature  of  the 
ground  and  the  number  of  trees,  no  proper  formation  could 
be  preserved  among  the  soldiers.  They  fought  in  detached 
groups,  each  body  of  men  surrounded  by  Arabs,  who  picked 
them  off  in  turn.  Hicks  Pasha  fought  like  a  lion,  discharg- 
ing the  contents  of  his  revolver  three  times,  and  then  using 
his  sword.  He  was  the  last  of  the  staff  to  die.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  staff  all  fell  in  one  group. 

"  After  the  battle  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  soldiers 
were  found  lying  wounded,  and  the  Mahdi  ordered  that  no 
wounded  man  should  be  injured.  My  informant  says  noth- 
ing about  any  wounded  officers.  The  heads  of  the  staff 
officers  and  of  the  Egyptian  officers  were  struck  off  and 
exhibited  to  the  prisoners,  and  then  fixed  over  the  gate  of 
El  Obeid.  The  Arabs  resolved  to  build  a  tomb  over  Hicks 
Pasha's  body,  in  recognition  of  his  great  bravery. 


256  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  The  Mahdi  had  sent  an  expedition  against  Slaten  Bey, 
an  Austrian  commanding  the  garrison  of  Darfour.  He  also 
threatens  to  punish  the  Fargalla  tribe  for  not  assisting  in  the 
rebelUon.  The  Sheikh  of  the  Fargallas  sent  him  a  defiance, 
saying  that  he  had  15,000  warriors  and  provisions  for  seven 
years,  and  that  he  was  ready  to  meet  the  Mahdi.  The  Mahdi 
is  also  embroiled  with  the  great  Kabbabish  tribe,  some  of 
whom  were  allies  of  the  Government.  He  says  that  he  will 
punish  them  for  their  loyalty. 

"  The  survivor  who  states  all  these  facts  escaped  from 
El  Obeid  owing  to  his  being  a  black  man  and  not  in 
uniform." 

The  battle  of  Kashgill,  in  which  Hicks  was  killed,  was 
fought  on  the  5th  of  November,  and  on  the  very  next  day, 
the  sixth,  another  battle  was  fought  in  the  Eastern  Soudan, 
at  Tokar,  also  with  lamentable  results.  Some  months  before 
the  disaffected  tribes  in  the  east  had  broken  into  open 
insurrection,  and  surrounded  the  garrisons  at  Sinkat  and 
Tokar.  They  stopped  communication  between  Berber  and 
Suakim,  and  threatened  to  march  on  the  latter  garrison. 
Captain  Moncrieff  was  sent  with  a  force  to  the  relief  of 
Tokar.  They  were  surrounded  by  the  rebels  and  overcome, 
and  Captain  Moncrieff  himself  was  slain. 

There  was  great  dififiiculty  in  getting  a  supply  of  men  to  go  ; 
and  even  while  they  were  waiting,  another  defeat  occurred. 
People  began  to  get  intensely  anxious,  while  telegrams 
like  the  following  that  came  to  hand  were  by  no  means 
reassuring  :  — 

"  Owing  to  the  small  size  of  the  steamers  plying  between 
Suez  and  Suakim,  the  transport  of  the  whole  body  of  two 
thousand  five  hundred  men  will  require  some  time.  Baker 
Pasha  himself  will  leave  in  about  ten  days. 

"  The  Egyptian  contingent  was  reviewed  by  the  Khedive 


TROUBLES  IN    THE   SOUDAN.  257 

this  afternoon.  The  review  was  followed  by  an  unpleasant 
incident.  The  Turkish  officers  came  in  a  body  to  Baker 
Pasha  and  plainly  refused  to  go  to  the  Soudan,  on  the  plea 
that  their  contract  of  service  was  for  Egypt  alone.  This  most 
serious  step  on  their  part  was  quite  unexpected ;  but  it  is 
hoped  that  some  arrangement  may  be  made  for  arriving  at  a 
quiet  settlement. 

"  None  of  the  Egyptian  officers  refused  to  go ;  but  many 
of  them  wept  when  they  heard  what  was  to  be  their  destina- 
tion. There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  men  of  the  Gendar- 
merie have  been  very  hardly  treated.  While  bearing  the 
whole  brunt  of  the  suffering  and  hard  work  entailed  by  the 
cholera  they  were  comforted  by  the  assurance  that  thence- 
forth they  would  be  employed  as  a  purely  civil  force  ;  but 
now,  on  the  first  emergency,  they  find  themselves  being 
used  as  the  only  available  military  force  for  the  defence  of 
Egypt  against  the  Mahdi,  while  the  army  takes  over  their 
civil  duties. 

"  In  estimating  their  grievances  we  must  remember  that 
among  the  natives  the  feeling  has  always  prevailed  that 
being  sent  to  the  Soudan  is  equivalent  to  a  sentence  of 
death.  Recent  events  have  certainly  not  tended  to  diminish 
that  impression. 

"  It  has  now  become  a  melancholy  military  necessity  to 
abandon  the  garrison  of  Sinkat,  under  Ibrahim  Bey,  to  their 
fate,  as  it  is  impossible  with  a  small  force  to  attempt  to  push 
through  the  dangerous  passes  on  the  road,  which  are  held  by 
some  fifteen  thousand  of  the  enemy,  who  appear  to  be  well 
armed. 

"  I  have  also  heard,  on  most  trustworthy  authority,  that 
for  some  time  past  the  rebels  have  been  supplied  with  arms 
and  provisions  by  Government  employes  at  Suakim." 

And  now  people  began  to  ask  in  decided  tones,  "  Where 


258  GENERAL    GORDON. 

is  Gordon?    Why  not  send  him?"     The  Pall  Mall  Gazette 
especially  advised  his  going. 

"  But  if  we  have  not  an  Egyptian  army  to  employ  in  the 
service,  and  if  we  must  not  send  an  English  force,  what  are 
we  to  do  ?    There  is  only  one  thing  that  we  can  do.     We 
cannot  send  a  regiment  to  Khartoum,  but  we  can  send  a 
man  who,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  has  proved  himself 
more  valuable  in  similar  circumstances  than  an  entire  army. 
Why  not  send  Chinese  Gordon  with  full  powers  to   Khar- 
toum, to  assume  absolute  control  of  the   territory,  to  treat 
with  the  Mahdi,  to  relieve  the  garrisons,  and  do  what  can  be 
done,  to  save  what  can  be  saved  from  the  wreck  in  the 
Soudan?    There  is  no  necessity  to  speak  of  the  pre-eminent 
qualifications  which  he  possesses  for  the  work.     They  are 
notorious,  and  are  as  undisputed  as  they  are  indisputable. 
His  engagement  on  the  Congo  could  surely  be  postponed. 
No  man  can  deny  the  urgent  need  in  the  midst  of  that 
hideous  welter  of  confusion  for  the  presence  of  such  a  man, 
with  a  bom  genius  for  command,  an  unexampled  capacity  in 
organizing  '  Ever-Victorious  Armies,'  and  a  perfect  knowl- 
edge of  the  Soudan  and  its  people.     Why  not  send  him  out 
with  carte-blanche  to  do  the  best  that  can  be  done  ?     He 
may  not  be  able,  single-handed,  to  reduce  that  raging  chaos 
to  order,  but  the  attempt  is  worth  making,  and  if  it  is  to  be 
made  it  will  have  to  be  made  at  once.     For  before  many 
days  General  Gordon  will  have  left  for  the  Congo,  and  the 
supreme  opportunity  may  have  passed  by." 

These  words  were  echoed  by  many  voices  immediately ; 
and  it  was  felt  in  many  circles,  and  almost  without  reference 
to  politics,  that  Charles  Gordon  was  the  man  for  the  hour. 


T 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Gordon's  response. 

"  Life  every  man  holds  dear,  but  the  brave  man 
Holds  honor  far  more  precious  dear  than  life." 

—  Troiliis  and  Cressida. 

HE  newspaper  correspondents  in  the  Soudan  had  been 
for  some  time  giving  hints  in  regard  to  General  Gordon. 
"  Would  that  Gordon  Pasha  were  here  !  "  was  a  wish  often 
expressed  by  the  Europeans.  Nor  were  they  alone.  Some 
of  the  natives,  who  remembered  him  lovingly  and  gratefully, 
often  remarked  that  the  former  Governor-General  would  be 
the  man  to  help  them  in  their  present  troubles.  That  "  Gor- 
don Pasha  was  the  most  popular  and  beloved  Governor- 
General  that  ever  ruled  the  Soudan"  was  the  testimony  borne 
by  Dr.  Schweinfurth  and  many  others.  Those  who  knew  him 
wondered  why  he  was  not  sent.  Mr.  Allan,  the  secretary  of 
the  British  and  Foreign  Anti-Slavery  Society,  and  a  personal 
friend  of  Gordon's,  tells  us  in  his  interesting  little  pamphlet, 
The  Life  of  Chinese  Gordon —  which  it  is  to  be  hoped  every- 
body has  read  —  that  "an  eminent  person,  well  known  in  the 
philanthropic  world,"  sent  to  him  the  following  respecting  the 
wonderful  man  who  was  then  quietly  living  at  Jaffa  :  "  Would 
that  an  angel  would  stand  at  Earl  Granville's  side,  and  say 
unto  him,  '  And  now  send  men  to  Joppa,  and  call  for  one  — 
Gordon.     He  shall  tell  thee  what  thou  oughtest  to  do.'  " 


260  GENERAL    GORDON. 

There  appeared  no  time  to  lose,  for  so  far  as  Egypt  was 
concerned  the  New  Year  appeared  gloomy  enough. 

The  telegrams  were  not  re-assuring. 

On  the  ist  January  news  came  that  two  European  officers 
had  resigned.  They  were  Major  Holroyd  and  Colonel  Giles. 
These  men  had  been  badly  treated  by  the  Egyptians ;  and 
the  feeling  between  the  officers  of  the  Egyptians  and  the 
Europeans  was  becoming  almost  hostile.  News  had  reached 
them  that  the  widow  of  Consul  Moncrieff  was  not  to  receive 
the  ordinary  widow's  pension  \  for  it  was  said  that  Moncrieff 
went  on  his  own  accord,  and  was  not  sent.  But  Moncrieff 
had  said  beforehand  that  he  felt  it  his  duty,  as  the  consul  of 
the  whole  of  Eastern  Soudan,  to  go  with  the  Egyptian  force 
to  Tokar,  that  he  might  be  able  to  report  to  the  Government 
on  the  real  object  of  the  rebellion,  and  the  state  of  affairs  in 
the  interior.  The  news  from  Suakim  was  that  Baker  Pasha 
had  reviewed  the  troops  on  Christmas  Day. 

On  the  I  oth  January  the  following  telegram  was  published  : 
"  Communication  with  Khartoum  is  interrupted,  a  fact  which 
causes  some  anxiety.  The  wires  are  believed  to  have  been 
cut  by  the  Kababash  tribe.  Hostile  forces  in  the  rear  of 
Khartoum  would  make  the  abandonment  of  the  place  by  its 
garrison  and  non-combatant  residents  a  difficult  matter." 

This  difficulty  occupied  the  public  mind  in  England  for  a 
day  or  two  ;  for  it  was  decided  that  the  Soudan  must  be  aban- 
doned, and  Khartoum  evacuated,  although  no  one  knew  how 
it  was  to  be  managed.  Apart  from  the  immense  mass  of 
stores  which  had  to  be  left,  there  were  a  thousand  families  of 
protected  subjects  and  Egyptian  officials,  who  had  to  quit  the 
town.  At  least  six  thousand  camels  were  needed  for  their 
transport  from  Berber  to  Assouan,  and  the  season  was  against 
the  refugees,  for  the  simoom  winds  were  coming  on. 

But  on  the  i8th  of  January  the  news  was  flashed  through- 


GORDON'S  RESPONSE.  261 

out  the  country  that  General  Gordon  was  going  to  the  Sou- 
dan, and  hope  and  joy  filled  thousands  of  hearts  at  once. 

Every  one  felt  that  he  was  the  man  for  the  hour. 

The  Times  said,  '•  It  is  impossible  to  exaggerate  the  feel- 
ings of  relief  and  satisfaction  universally  inspired  by  the 
knowledge  that  General  Gordon  has  undertaken  the  pacifi- 
cation of  the  Soudan." 

The  Pall  Mall  Gazette,  which  had  all  along  been  urging 
this,  was  delighted  and  satisfied. 

The  name  of  Chinese  Gordon  was  at  once  upon  a  million 
lips ;  and  while  those  who  had  not  read  of  him  were  asking, 
"Who  is  he?  "  and  those  who  had  were  rejoicing  in  thank- 
fulness, and  only  anxious  to  hear  the  latest  news,  all  parties 
seemed  to  have  trust  in  the  magic  power  of  the  man,  and 
Conservatives  and  Liberals  alike  hailed  the  news  with  pro- 
found satisfaction. 

The  Central  News  gave  the  particulars  that  all  were  long- 
ing to  hear : — 

"  We  are  enabled  to  state  authoritatively  that  General 
Gordon  ('  Chinese  Gordon ')  has  been  instructed  by  the 
British  Government  with  an  important  commission  in  the 
Soudan.  Whilst  General  Gordon  was  in  Brussels  on  Thurs- 
day, on  business  connected  with  his  Congo  appointnient,  he 
received  a  telegram  from  the  English  Government  asking 
him  if  he  would  be  able  to  go  to  Egypt,  and  if  so,  when. 
He  promptly  replied  that  he  would  most  certainly  go,  and 
that  he  was  prepared  to  start  at  the  shortest  notice.  On 
receipt  of  this  reply,  instructions  were  at  once  telegraphed 
to  the  General  to  return  to  London  without  delay.  He 
obeyed  this  order  to  the  letter,  and  arrived  in  London  yes- 
terday morning.  About  noon  General  Gordon  had  an 
interview  with  such  members  of  the  cabinet  as  are  at  present 
in  town,  and  subsequently  received  the  fullest  instructions  as 


262  GENERAL    GORDON. 

to  the  character  of  his  appointment.  The  Central  Neivs  is 
informed  that  the  chief  duty  entrusted  to  General  Gordon  is 
the  chfficult  and  dehcate  one  of  concihating  the  various 
tribes  scattered  throughout  the  Soudan,  with  the  ultimate 
object  of  bringing  about  some  arrangement  between  the 
several  conflicting  elements  in  that  country.  General  Gor- 
don, however,  was  distinctly  given  to  understand  that  the 
Government  strictly  adhere  to  their  intention  to  evacuate 
the  Soudan.  The  General  was  further  informed  that  he  will 
be  the  accredited  agent  of  the  British  Government.  He  will 
take  his  future  instructions  solely  from  Sir  Evelyn  Baring,  as 
the  mouthpiece  of  the  British  Government,  and  will  be  in  no 
way  accountable  to  the  Khedive  or  any  Egyptian  authority. 
General  Gordon  was  so  sufficiently  satisfied  with  the  terms 
of  his  engagement  that  he  completed  his  personal  arrange- 
ments within  a  few  hours,  and  left  Charing  Cross  station  by 
the  Indian  mail  last  evening,  accompanied  by  Colonel  Stew- 
art, who  will  act  as  the  General's  Chief  of  the  Staff  and 
confidential  assistant  generally.  So  quietly  were  General 
Gordon's  arrangements  made  that  the  only  persons  who 
assembled  at  the  station  to  wish  the  gallant  officer  God-speed 
were  the  Duke  of  Cambridge,  Lord  Wolseley,  Colonel 
Brocklehurst,  and  Lord  Hartington's  private  secretary. 
General  Gordon  will  not  go  near  Cairo,  as  his  instructions 
are  to  get  to  Suakim  with  the  least  possible  delay.  He  will 
join  the  Peninsular  and  Oriental  steamer  with  the  Lidian 
mails  at  Brindisi,  and  on  arriving  at  Suez  will  go  on  board  a 
British  gun-boat,  which  he  will  find  waiting  for  him  there. 
From  Suez  he  will  proceed  direct  to  Suakim.  The  King  of 
the  Belgians  is  naturally  much  distressed  at  this  arrangement, 
as  it  was  at  his  request  that  General  Gordon  recently 
returned  from  Syria.  General  (Gordon  has  informed  His 
Majesty   that  he   much   regrets  that  he   cannot,  under  the 


GORDON'S  RESPONSE.  263 

peculiar  circumstances,  proceed  to  the  Congo,  as  arranged, 
but  he  hoped  to  be  able  to  carry  out  his  engagement  to 
His  Majesty  on  his  return  from  the  Soudan." 

It  was  afterwards  said  that  Colonel  Brocklehurst  opened 
the  carriage  door  for  the  man  who  was  just  then  the  hope  of 
all.  Lord  Wolseley  insisted  on  carrying  the  portmanteau  of 
the  hero,  and  the  Duke  of  Cambridge  got  his  ticket. 

General  Gordon  was  unaccompanied,  except  by  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Stewart,  of  the  nth  Hussars,  who  had  been  at 
Khartoum  on  duty  the  year  before,  and  who  went  with  Gor- 
don in  the  capacity  of  military  secretary. 

As  he  went  forth  on  his  solitary  mission  of  peace,  many 
English  hearts  prayed  that  God  would  bless  and  prosper 
him.  There  was  something  so  romantic  in  it  all  that  the 
imagination  could  but  follow  him  with  thought  and  sympa- 
thy. But  his  instructions  were  very  matter  of  fact.  The 
following  was  the  communication  made  by  Earl  Granville  to 
him  :  — 

"  Foreign  Office,  iSth  January,  1884. 
"  Sir  :  Her  Majesty's  Government  are  desirous  that  you 
should  proceed  at  once  to  Egypt,  to  report  to  them  on  the 
military  situation  in  the  Soudan,  and  on  the  measures  which 
it  may  be  advisable  to  take  for  the  security  of  the  Egyptian 
garrisons  still  holding  positions  in  that  country,  and  for  the 
safety  of  the  European  population  in  Khartoum.  You  are 
also  desired  to  consider  and  report  upon  the  best  mode  of 
effecting  the  evacuation  of  the  interior  of  the  Soudan,  and 
upon  the  manner  in  which  the  safety  and  the  good  adminis- 
tration by  the  Egyptian  Government  of  the  ports  on  the  sea- 
coast  can  best  be  secured.  In  connection  with  this  subject, 
you  should  pay  especial  consideration  to  the  question  of  the 
steps  that  may  usefully  be  taken  to  counteract  the  stimulus 


264  GENERAL    GORDON. 

which  it  is  feared  may  possibly  be  given  to  the  slave  trade 
by  the  present  insurrectionary  movement,  and  by  the  with- 
drawal of  the  Egyptian  authority  from  the  interior.  You 
will  be  under  the  instructions  of  Her  Majesty's  Agent  and 
Consul-General  at  Cairo,  through  whom  your  reports  to  Her 
Majesty's  Government  should  be  sent  under  flying  seal.  You 
will  consider  yourself  authorized  and  instructed  to  perform 
such  other  duties  as  the  Egyptian  Government  may  desire 
to  entrust  to  you,  and  as  may  be  communicated  to  you  by 
Sir  E.  Baring.  You  will  be  accompanied  by  Colonel  Stew- 
art, who  will  assist  you  in  the  duties  thus  confided  to  you. 
On  your  arrival  in  Egypt  you  will  at  once  communicate  with 
Sir  E.  Baring,  who  will  arrange  to  meet  you,  and  will  settle 
with  you  whether  you  should  proceed  direct  to  Suakim,  or 
should  go  yourself  or  despatch  Colonel  Stewart  to  Khartoum, 
via  the  Nile.  —  I  am,  etc., 

"(Signed),  Granville." 

He  went  from  Dover  by  the  mail  packet  Samphire.  He 
reached  Port  Said  on  the  twenty-fourth,  and  he  and  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Stewart  went  at  once  to  Cairo,  which  place  they 
reached  at  nine  o'clock  at  night.  They  were  not  generally 
expected,  and  there  was  no  crowd  to  greet  them.  General 
Evelyn  Wood  and  Major  Watson  were  with  them,  having  joined 
them  at  Port  Said.  They  drove  at  once  to  the  house  of 
General  Wood  and  there  met  Sir  Evelyn  Baring.  Gordon 
was  dressed  in  plain  clothes,  and  seemed  cheery  and  well. 

He  received,  as  he  was  told  to  expect,  his  final  instruc- 
tions from  Sir  Evelyn  Baring.  He  also  had  given  to  him 
;^40,ooo  with  which  to  pay  the  troops  ;  and  on  the  night  of 
26th  January  he  left  Cairo  for  Assiout. 

The  following  was  written  by  Sir  Evelyn  Baring  to  Gordon 
on  the  twenty-fifth  :  — 


GORDON'S  RESPOXSE.  265 

"  It  is  believed  that  the  number  of  Europeans  at  Khar- 
toum is  very  small ;  but  it  has  been  estimated  by  the  local 
authorities  that  some  10,000  to  15,000  people  will  wish  to 
move  northwards  from  Khartoum  only  when  the  Egyptian 
garrison  is  withdrawn.  These  people  are  native  Christians, 
Egyptian  employes,  their  wives  and  children,  etc.  The  Gov- 
ernment of  his  Highness  the  Khedive  is  earnestly  solicitous 
that  no  effort  should  be  spared  to  ensure  the  retreat  both  of 
these  people  and  of  the  Egyptian  garrison  without  loss  of 
life. 

"As  regards  the  most  opportune  time  and  the  best  method 
for  effecting  the  retreat,  whether  of  the  garrisons  or  of  the 
civil  populations,  it  is  neither  necessary  nor  desirable  that 
you  should  receive  detailed  instructions.  A  short  time  ago 
the  local  authorities  pressed  strongly  on  the  Eg)'ptian  Gov- 
ernment the  necessity  for  giving  orders  for  an  immediate 
retreat.  .  .  .  You  will  bear  in  mind  that  the  main  end  to  be 
pursued  is  the  evacuation  of  the  Soudan.  This  policy  was 
adopted,  after  very  full  discussion,  by  the  Egyptian  Govern- 
ment, on  the  advice  of  Her  Majesty's  Government.  It 
meets  with  the  full  approval  of  His  Highness  the  Khedive 
and  of  the  present  Egyptian  Ministry.  I  understand  also 
that  you  entirely  concur  in  the  desirability  of  adopting  this 
policy,  and  that  you  think  it  should  on  no  account  be 
changed.  You  consider  that  it  may  take  a  few  months  to 
carry  it  out  with  safety.  You  are  further  of  opinion  that 
'  the  restoration  of  the  country  should  be  made  to  the  differ- 
ent pe-tty  Sultans  who  existed  at  the  time  of  Mehemet  All's 
conquest,  and  whose  families  still  exist '  ;  and  that  an  en- 
deavor should  be  made  to  form  a  confederation  of  those 
Sultans.  In  this  view  the  Egyptian  Government  entirely 
concurs. 

"  It  will,  of  course,  be  fully  understood  that  the  Egyptian 


266  GENERAL    GORDON. 

troops  are  not  to  be  kept  in  the  Soudan  merely  with  a  view 
to  consoUdating  the  power  of  the  new  rulers  of  the  country. 
But  the  Rigyptian  Government  has  the  fullest  confidence  in 
your  judgment,  your  knowledge  of  the  country,  and  of  your 
comprehension  of  the  general  line  of  policy  to  be  pursued. 
You  are,  therefore,  given  full  discretionary  power  to  retain 
the  troops  for  such  reasonable  period  as  you  may  think  nec- 
essary, in  order  that  the  abandonment  of  the  country  may 
be  accomplished  with  the  least  possible  risk  to  life  and 
property.  A  credit  of  ^100,000  has  been  opened  for  you 
at  the  Finance  Department,  and  further  funds  will  be  sup- 
plied to  you  on  your  requisition  when  this  sum  is  exhausted. 
In  undertaking  the  difficult  task  which  now  lies  before  you, 
you  may  feel  assured  that  no  effort  will  be  wanting  on  the 
part  of  the  Cairo  authorities,  whether  English  or  Egyptian, 
to  afford  you  all  the  co-operation  and  support  in  their 
power." 

Sir  Evelyn  Baring  states  that  when  he  read  over  to  him 
the  draft  of  this  despatch  the  General  expressed  his  entire 
concurrence  in  the  instructions.  "  The  only  suggestion  he 
made  was  in  connection  with  the  passage  in  which,  speaking 
of  the  policy  of  abandoning  the  Soudan,  I  had  said,  '  I 
understand  also  that  you  entirely  concur  in  the  desirability 
of  adopting  this  policy.'  General  Gordon  wished  that  I 
should  add  the  words,  *  and  that  you  think  it  should  on  no 
account  be  changed.'   These  words  were  accordingly  added." 

The  news  of  his  arrival  in  the  Soudan  was  received  with 
the  wildest  joy,  as  the  following  telegrams,  taken  from  the 
Standard,  prove  :  — 

"  Cairo,  Friday  Night. 
"After  rising  very  early  this    morning,  General  Gordon 
called   on  the  Khedive,  by  whom  he  was  most  cordially 


GORDON'S  RESPONSE.  267 

received,  as  also  by  Niibar  Pasha.  Afterwards,  accompanied 
by  Sir  Evelyn  Wood,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Stewart,  and  Major 
Watson,  he  paid  a  visit  to  Sir  Evelyn  Baring,  witli  whom  he 
discussed  the  whole  situation  in  the  Soudan  for  several 
hours ;  the  conversation,  which  was  only  interrupted  for 
limcheon,  lasting  until  six  o'clock  in  the  evening.  Sir 
Evelyn  Wood,  however,  left  about  three  to  attend  to  his 
duties  elsewhere. 

"  These  deliberations  were,  of  course,  strictly  private,  and 
absolutely  nothing  is  known  of  the  result,  but  there  is  reason 
to  believe  that  General  Gordon  is  to  be  entrusted  with  a 
mission,  half  military,  half  diplomatic,  and  without  any  very 
definite  instructions  such  as  might  hamper  his  initiative  while 
on  the  spot.  His  primary  object  will  be  to  secure,  in  what- 
ever way  possible,  by  negotiation  or  otherwise,  the  safety  of 
those  inhabitants  of  the  Soudan  who  remain  loyal  to  the 
Cairo  Government. 

"Should  it  appear  to  General  Gordon  on  his  arrival  at 
Khartoum  that  the  strength  of  the  Mahdi  is  exaggerated, 
and  that  there  is  a  reasonable  prospect  of  holding  the  town 
by  the  opening  up  either  of  Suakim-Berber  or  the  Massowah- 
Kasala  route,  there  is  little  doubt  that  an  effort  will  be  made 
to  carry  out  what  are  known  to  be  his  personal  feehngs  on 
the  subject. 

"  General  Gordon  leaves  Cairo  to-morrow  evening.  He 
goes  by  train  to  Assiout,  whence  a  steamer  will  be  chartered 
which  will  take  him  as  far  as  Wady  Haifa,  at  the  Second 
Cataract.  Thence  he  intends  to  strike  directly  across  the 
desert  for  Abu  Hamad,  following  the  course  of  the  river  from 
this  point  to  Khartoum.  This  plan,  however,  may  be  modi- 
fied by  circumstances. 

"  The  extent  to  which  confidence  has  been  restored 
amongst    all    classes,    European    and    native,    by    General 


268  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Gordon's  arrival  is  almost  miraculous.  An  old  Pasha,  named 
Tohami,  who  served  under  him  in  his  previous  undertaking 
in  the  Soudan,  predicts  that,  immediately  on  the  ex-Governor's 
arrival,  the  Mahdi's  hordes  will  '  melt  away  like  dew,'  and 
the  Pretender  will  be  left  '  like  a  small  man  standing  alone, 
until  forced  to  flee  back  to  his  Island  of  Abbas.'  Making  all 
allowance  for  Oriental  exaggerations,  one  can  only  hope  that 
those  anticipations  will  be  verified. 

"  It  is  not  only  the  enthusiastic  and  possibly  interested 
natives  who  are  so  impressed  by  the  advent  of  General 
Gordon.  Sir  Evelyn  Wood,  speaking  of  him  after  their 
meeting  to-day,  expressed  himself  in  the  warmest  terms, 
ending  by  saying  that  the  General  had  only  one  fault — that 
he  was  too  good  for  his  time,  and  should  have  lived  centuries 
ago ;  and  compared  him  to  the  Chevalier  Bayard. 

"Although  Generals  Wood  and  Gordon  have  not  met 
since  they  served  together  in  the  Crimea,  the  mutual  recog- 
nition, when  Gordon  appeared  on  the  poop  of  the  Tanjore 
at  Port  Said  was  instantaneous,  and  a  warm  friendship  has 
already  sprang  up  between  the  two,  as,  indeed,  is  the  case 
with  all  whom  General  Gordon  comes  in  contact." 

The  (luestion  has  been  asked  since.  What  is  General 
Gordon's  mission?  In  the  following,  which  was  his  answer 
to  the  instructions  he  had  received,  the  General  himself 
answers  the  question  :  — 

"Memorandum  by  General  Gordon. 
"  I  understand  that  Her  Majesty's  Government  have  come 
to  the  irrevocable  decision  not  to  incur  the  very  onerous  duty 
of  securing  to  the  peoples  of  the  Soudan  a  just  future  Gov- 
ernment. That,  as  a  consequence,  Her  Majesty's  Govern- 
ment have  determined  to  restore  to  these  peoples  their 
independence,  and  will  no  longer  suffer  the  Egyptian 
Government  to  interfere  with  their  affairs. 


GORDON'S  RESPONSE.  269 

"  2.  For  this  purpose  Her  Majesty's  Government  have 
decided  to  send  me  to  the  Soudan  to  arrange  for  the  evacua- 
tion of  these  countries,  and  the  safe  removal  of  the  Egyptian 
employes  and  troops. 

"3.  Keeping  Paragraph  No.  i  in  view,  viz.,  that  the  evacua- 
tion of  the  Soudan  is  irrevocably  decided  on,  it  will  depend 
upon  circumstances  in  what  way  this  is  to  be  accomplished. 

"  My  idea  is  that  the  restoration  of  the  country  should  be 
made  to  the  different  petty  Sultans  who  existed  at  the  time 
of  Mehemet  All's  conquest,  and  whose  families  still  exist ; 
that  the  Mahdi  should  be  left  altogether  out  of  the  calcu- 
lation as  regards  the  handing  over  the  country ;  and  that  it 
should  be  optional  with  the  Sultans  to  accept  his  supremacy 
or  not.  As  these  Sultans  would  probably  not  be  likely  to 
gain  by  accepting  the  Mahdi  as  their  Sovereign,  it  is  prob- 
able that  they  will  hold  to  their  independent  positions.  Thus 
we  should  have  two  factors  to  deal  with,  namely,  the  petty 
Sultans  asserting  their  several  independence,  and  the  Mahdi's 
party  aiming  at  supremacy  over  them.  To  hand,  therefore, 
over  to  the  Mahdi  the  arsenals,  etc.,  would,  I  consider,  be  a 
mistake.  They  should  be  handed  over  to  the  Sultans  of  the 
States  in  which  they  are  placed. 

"  The  most  difficult  question  is  how  and  to  whom  to  hand 
over  the  arsenals  at  Khartoum,  Dongola,  and  Kassala,  which 
towns  have,  so  to  say,  no  old  standing  families  —  Khartoum 
and  Kassala  having  spmng  up  since  Mehemet  All's  conquest. 
Probably  it  would  be  advisable  to  postpone  any  decision  as 
to  these  to^vns  till  such  time  as  the  inhabitants  have  made 
known  their  opinion. 

"  4.  I  have,  in  Paragraph  3,  proposed  the  transfer  of  the 
lands  to  the  local  Sultans,  and  stated  my  opinion  that  these 
will  not  accept  the  supremacy  of  the  Mahdi.  If  this  is 
agreed  to,  and  my  supposition  correct  as  to  their  action, 


270  GENERAL    GORDON. 

there  can  be  but  little  doubt  that,  as  far  as  he  is  able,  the 
Mahdi  will  endeavor  to  assert  his  rule  over  them,  and  will 
be  opposed  to  any  evacuation  of  the  Government  employes 
and  troops.  My  opinion  of  the  Mahdi's  forces  is,  that  the 
bulk  of  those  who  were  with  him  at  Obeid  will  refuse  to 
cross  the  Nile,  and  that  those  who  do  so  will  not  exceed 
3000  or  4000  men,  and  also  that  these  will  be  composed 
principally  of  black  troops  who  have  deserted,  and  who,  if 
offered  fair  terms,  would  come  over  to  the  Government  side. 
In  such  a  case,  viz.  '  Sultans  accepting  transfer  of  territory 
and  refusing  the  supremacy  of  the  Mahdi,  and  Mahdi's 
black  troops  coming  over  to  the  Government,  resulting  in 
weakness  of  the  Mahdi,  what  should  be  done  should  the 
Mahdi's  adherents  attack  the  evacuating  columns?'  It 
cannot  be  supposed  that  these  are  to  offer  no  resistance  ; 
and  if  in  resisting  they  should  obtain  a  success,  it  would  be 
but  reasonable  to  allow  them  to  follow  up  the  Mahdi  to 
such  a  position  as  would  ensure  their  future  safe  march. 
This  is  one  of  those  difficult  questions  which  our  Govern- 
ment can  hardly  be  expected  to  answer,  but  which  may  arise, 
and  to  which  I  would  call  attention.  Paragraph  i  fixes  ir- 
revocably the  decision  of  the  Government,  viz.,  to  evacuate 
the  territory,  and,  of  course,  as  far  as  possible,  involves  the 
avoidance  of  fighting.  I  can,  therefore,  only  say  that, 
having  in  view  Paragraph  i,  and  seeing  the  difficulty  of  ask- 
ing Her  Majesty's  Government  to  give  a  decision  or  direc- 
tion as  to  what  should  be  done  in  certain  cases,  that  I  will 
carry  out  the  evacuation  as  far  as  possible  according  to  their 
wish  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  and  with  avoidance,  as  far 
as  possible,  of  all  fighting.  I  would,  however,  hope  that 
Her  Majesty's  Government  will  give  me  their  support  and 
consideration  should  I  be  unable  to  fulfil  all  their  expecta- 
tions. 

"  5.  Though  it  is  out  of  my  province  to  give  any  opinion 


GORDON'S  RESPONSE.  271 

as  to  the  action  of  Her  Majesty's  Government  in  leaving  the 
Soudan,  still  I  must  say  it  would  be  an  iniquity  to  reconc^uer 
these  peoples  and  then  hand  them  back  to  the  Egyptians 
without  guarantees  of  future  good  government.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  this  we  cannot  secure  them  without  an  inordinate 
expenditure  of  men  and  money.  The  Soudan  is  a  useless 
possession,  ever  was  so,  and  ever  will  be  so.  Larger  than 
Germany,  France,  and  Spain  together,  and  mosdy  barren,  it 
cannot  be  governed  except  by  a  Dictator,  who  may  be  good 
or  bad.  If  bad,  he  will  cause  constant  revolts.  No  one  who 
has  ever  lived  in  the  Soudan  can  escape  the  reflection, 
'  What  a  useless  possession  is  this  land.'  Few  men  also  can 
stand  its  fearful  monotony  and  deadly  climate. 

"  6.  Said  Pasha,  the  Viceroy  before  Ismail,  went  up  to 
the  Soudan  with  Count  F.  de  Lesseps.  He  was  so  discour- 
aged and  horrified  at  the  misery  of  the  people  that  at  Berber 
Count  de  Lesseps  saw  him  throw  his  guns  into  the  river, 
declaring  that  he  would  be  no  party  to  such  oppression.  It 
was  only  after  the  urgent  solicitations  of  European  Consuls 
and  others  that  he  reconsidered  his  decision.  Therefore,  I 
think  Her  Majesty's  Government  are  fully  justified  in  recom- 
mending the  evacuation,  inasmuch  as  the  sacrifices  neces- 
sary towards  securing  a  good  government  would  be  far  too 
onerous  to  admit  of  such  an  attempt  being  made.  Indeed, 
one  may  say  it  is  impracticable  at  any  cost.  Her  Majesty's 
Government  will  now  leave  them  as  God  has  placed  them  ; 
they  are  not  forced  to  fight  among  themselves,  and  they  will 
no  longer  be  oppressed  by  men  coming  from  lands  so 
remote  as  Circassia,  Kurdistan,  and  Anatolia. 

"  7.  I  have  requested  Lieutenant-Colonel  Stewart  to  write 
his  views  independent  of  mine  on  this  subject.  I  append 
them  to  this  report." 


272  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  Observations  by  Colonel  Stewart. 

"  I  have  carefully  read  over  General  Gordon's  observa- 
tions, and  cordially  agree  with  what  he  states. 

"2.1  would,  however,  suggest  that,  as  far  as  possible,  all 
munitions  of  war  be  destroyed  on  evacuation. 

"  3.  I  quite  agree  with  General  Gordon  that  the  Soudan 
is  an  extensive  and  useless  possession.  No  one  who  has 
visited  it  can  escape  the  reflection,  '  What  a  useless  posses- 
sion is  this  land,  and  what  a  huge  encumbrance  on  Egypt.' 

"  4.  Handing  back  the  territories  to  the  families  of  the 
dispossessed  Sultans  is  an  act  of  justice  both  towards  them 
and  their  people.  The  latter,  at  any  rate,  will  no  longer  be 
at  the  mercy  of  foreign  mercenaries,  and  if  they  are  tyran- 
nized over  it  will  be  more  or  less  their  own  fault.  Handing 
back  the  districts  to  the  old  reigning  families  is  also  a  politic 
act,  as  raising  up  a  rival  power  to  that  of  the  Mahdi. 

"5.  As  it  is  impossible  for  Her  Majesty's  Government  to 
foresee  all  the  eventualities  that  may  arise  during  the  evacu- 
ation, it  seems  to  me  the  more  judicious  course  to  rely  on 
the  discretion  of  General  Gordon  and  his  knowledge  of  the 
country. 

**  6.  I,  of  course,  understand  that  General  Gordon  is 
going  to  the  Soudan  with  full  powers  to  make  all  arrange- 
ments as  to  its  evacuation,  and  that  he  is  in  no  way  to  be 
interfered  with  by  the  Cairo  Ministers.  Also  that  any 
suggestions  or  remarks  that  the  Cairo  Government  would 
wish  to  make  are  to  be  made  directly  to  him  and  Her 
Majesty's  Minister-Plenipotentiary,  and  that  no  intrigues 
are  to  be  permitted  against  his  authority.  Any  other  course 
would,  I  am  persuaded,  make  his  mission  a  failure. 
"  (Signed),  D,  H.  Stewart, 

'^ Lieutenant- Colonel,  nth  Hussars. 

"Steamship  Tanjore,  at  sea,  Jan.  22,  1S84." 


GORDON'S  RESPONSE.  273 

On  the  meeting  of  Parliament  many  eulogistic  words 
were  spoken. 

On  the  2  2d  of  January,  Sir  Charles  Dilke,  addressing  his 
constituents  at  Chelsea,  referred  to  the  mission  of  General 
Gordon  as  follows  ;  — 

"  General  Gordon  is  not  against  but  in  favor  of  the 
policy  of  the  evacuation  of  Darfour,  Kordofan,  and  the 
interior  of  the  Soudan.  The  greater  part  of  what  is  called 
the  Soudan  is  not,  and  never  has  been,  an  integral  part  of 
Egypt.  The  Egyptian  is  a  foreigner  there.  The  Soudan 
has  always  been  a  strain  and  a  drain  upon  Egypt;  and 
instead  of  being  a  help,  these  countries  always  have  been,  in 
our  opinion,  a  weakness  to  it,  and  if  they  be  a  weakness  to 
Egypt  it  would  be  simple  madness  to  this  country  to  insist 
upon  their  retention.  We  have  no  interest  that  the  Egyp- 
tians, rather  than  the  Sultans  of  Darfour,  should  rule  in  Dar- 
four ;  our  interest  is  that  there  should  be  peace  in  the 
country.  We  have,  I  think,  an  interest  that  the  Egyptian 
rule  should  be  maintained  on  the  coasts  of  the  Red  Sea,  but 
we  have  no  interest  whatever  in  upholding  Egyptian  rule  in 
the  interior  of  the  continent  of  Africa.  The  Conservatives 
have  told  us  that  we  have  shown  upon  this  subject  a  singu- 
larly vacillating  policy,  and  they  seem  to  think  we  were  sud- 
denly driven  to  the  employment  of  General  Gordon  at  a 
day's  notice  by  the  news  we  got  in  the  Conservative  press. 
We  first  suggested  the  sending  out  of  General  Gordon  to  the 
late  Egyptian  Government  very  many  months  ago,  but  at 
that  time  the  suggestion  was  not  received  with  favor,  eitlicr 
by  the  Egyptian  Government  or  by  our  own  representatives 
in  Cairo.  They  thought  that,  under  the  circumstances  then 
existing,  it  would  not  be  desirable  that  General  Gordon 
should  go  out.  This  reluctance  lasted  until  quite  recently, 
and  it  was  a  mutual  reluctance,  for  General  Gordon  did  not 


274  GENERAL    GORDON. 

wish  to  go.  It  was  only  about  ten  days  ago  we  were  informed 
that  General  Gordon,  although  he  had  no  wish  to  go  to 
Egypt,  would  willingly  obey  the  orders  of  Her  Majesty's 
Government  if  he  were  directed  to  go,  and  that  he  would 
gladly  act  under  the  instructions  of  Sir  Evelyn  Baring.  As 
soon  as  we  had  obtained  by  telegraph  the  concurrence  of  Sir 
Evelyn  Baring  in  our  view,  the  matter  was  arranged.  A  reply 
was  received,  I  think,  on  Wednesday  last.  General  Gordon's 
instructions  were  given  to  him  on  the  Friday,  and  with  the 
remarkable  public  spirit  which  characterizes  him,  he  started 
with  Colonel  Stewart,  as  you  know,  on  Friday  night." 

In  the  House  of  Commons,  Sir  Stafford  Northcote,  while 
censuring  the  Government,  said  :  — 

"  There  is  one  point  upon  which  all  our  minds  are  fixed 
—  I  mean  the  mission  of  General  Gordon.  On  that  point 
I  am  anxious  to  say  little  or  nothing.  General  Gordon  is 
now  engaged  in  an  attempt  of  the  most  gallant  and  dangerous 
kind.  No  one  can  speak  with  too  much  admiration  of  his 
courage  and  self-devotion.  No  one  can  fail,  in  this  country, 
to  sympathize  with  him,  and  earnestly  to  desire  his  safety  and 
success.  It  would  be  the  greatest  possible  misfortune  if,  by 
any  word  carelessly  allowed  to  drop  here,  anything  were  done 
that  would  in  the  slightest  degree  imperil  or  disturb  the  suc- 
cess of  his  mission.  I  trust  the  Government  are  not  proceed- 
ing in  the  case  of  General  Gordon  as  they  have  done  in  too 
many  instances  —  that  they  are  not  throwing  all  the  respon- 
sibility upon  him,  and  keeping  none  for  themselves —  that 
they  are  not  confusing  his  position,  and  making  it  uncertain 
whose  servant  he  is,  or  to  whom  he  is  responsible." 

Mr.  Gladstone,  in  his  reply,  thus  spoke  of  the  circum- 
stances connected  with  his  mission,  and  in  praise  of  the 
hero  :  — 

"  General  Gordon,  in  our  estimation,  is  a  very  great  feat- 


GORDON'S  RESPONSE.  275 

ure  in  the  case.  What  is  General  Gordon  ?  He  is  no  com- 
mon man.  I  thank  the  right  honorable  gentleman  for  the 
manner  in  which  he  referred  to  him.  I  may  almost  say  that 
General  Gordon  is  not  alone.  Other  very  able  men  are  with 
him  —  one  in  particular,  Colonel  Stewart,  his  second  and 
coadjutor.  And,  in  fact,  we  have  acted  all  along  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  obtaining  for  this  difficult  Egypt  problem  the  very  best 
services  we  could  possibly  get.  It  is  no  exaggeration,  in 
speaking  of  General  Gordon,  to  say  that  he  is  a  hero.  It  is 
no  exaggeration  to  say  that  he  is  a  Christian.  It  is  no  exag- 
geration to  say  that  in  his  dealings  with  Oriental  people  he  is 
also  a  genius  ;  that  he  has  a  faculty,  an  influence,  a  command 
brought  about  by  moral  means  —  for  no  man  in  this  House 
hates  the  unnecessary  resort  to  blood  more  than  General 
Gordon  —  he  has  that  faculty  which  produces  effects  among 
those  wild  Eastern  races  almost  unintelligible  to  us  Western 
people.  Perhaps  it  may  be  said,  '  If  General  Gordon  has 
all  these  gifts,  why  did  you  not  employ  him  sooner?  '  Again 
you  have  fallen  into  an  error,  for  you  have  not  taken  the 
least  pains  to  ascertain  whether  it  was  possible  or  not.  The 
suggestion  to  employ  General  Gordon  in  the  Soudan  was 
made  at  a  time  so  early  that  it  really  is  not  within  the  limits 
of  the  direct  responsibility  of  the  present  Government. 

"As  early  as  in  the  month  of  November,  1882,  Sir 
Charles  Wilson  suggested  the  employment  of  General  Gor- 
don. But  there  were  difficulties  on  both  sides.  It  is  very 
difficult  to  marry  two  people  when  one  of  them  is  averse, 
but  it  is  still  more  difficult  to  marry  them  when,  unfortu- 
nately, there  is  an  aversion  on  both  sides;  and  that,  I 
believe,  was  found  to  be  the  case  at  that  period  between 
the  Khedive  and  General  Gordon.  However,  when  it  came 
to  the  grave  period,  and  the  increased  responsibility  upon 
us  for  the  affairs  in  the  Soudan  that  followed  Hicks's  defeat, 


276  GENERAL    GORDON. 

then  it  was  again  our  duty  to  have  regard  to  the  possibility 
of  what  might  be  got  through  General  Gordon.  The  right 
honorable  gentleman  will  recollect  that  we  have  contended 
all  along  —  he  might  have  done  it,  but  we  could  not  have 
done  it  —  that  down  to  the  time  of  General  Hicks's  defeat, 
we  should  not  have  been  justified  in  interfering.  It  was 
already  known  to  us  that  the  Egyptian  Government  objected 
to  General  Gordon.  On  the  ist  of  December  Lord  Gran- 
ville had  reason  to  believe  that  he  was  in  a  condition  to 
offer  the  services  of  General  Gordon  to  the  Egyptian  Gov- 
ernment. Unfortunately,  they  were  refused,  but  they  were 
refused  not  entirely  without  reason.  The  reason  was  one 
with  which  we  were  not  satisfied,  but  it  went  far  to  silence 
us,  and  I  think  the  right  honorable  gentleman  will  find  it  to 
be  the  case  too.  The  objection  made  was  this  :  'The  Sou- 
dan is  a  country  of  strong  Mahometan  fanaticism,  and  to 
send  a  Christian  as  our  agent  would  be  a  dangerous  course, 
and  might  cause  a  more  dangerous  outbreak.'  We  were 
not  satisfied,  but  at  the  same  time  it  was  very  difficult  to 
brush  that  objection  rudely  aside,  and  that  led  to  some  fur- 
ther delay.  That  was  on  the  ist  of  December.  But  we 
became  acquainted  with  the  sentiments  of  General  Gordon, 
and,  as  time  went  on,  the  objection  of  the  Egyptian  Gov- 
ernment became  mitigated  and  entirely  changed.  How- 
ever, it  was  not  until  the  loth  of  January,  that  is  to  say, 
eight  days  after  Nubar  Pasha  came  into  office,  that  we  had 
forwarded  to  us  a  retjuest  to  send  officers  to  conduct  the 
evacuation  of  the  Soudan,  and  on  the  i6th  of  January  Gen- 
eral Gordon  was  on  his  way. 

"  At  Cairo  General  Gordon  formed  his  plan,  and  the 
paper  laid  on  the  table  we  received  first  in  the  shape  of  a 
valuable  memorandum.  We  have  had  some  doubts  whether 
it  was  our  duty  to  produce  his  plan.     If  it  could  have  been 


GORDON'S  RESPONSE.  277 

produced  to  this  House  or  this  country  alone,  it  would  have 
been  a  different  matter,  but  the  promulgation  of  the  plan  in 
Egypt  might  cause  its  failure.  All  I  can  say  on  this 
occasion  —  but  I  would  rather  not  enter  into  particulars  at 
all  —  is  that  it  was  evidently  a  well-reasoned  and  considered 
plan,  that  it  was  entirely  pacific  in  its  basis,  that  it  proceeds 
on  the  plea  —  which  would  have  been  fanatical  or  presump- 
tuous in  my  case,  or  in  the  case  of  most  of  those  in  this 
House,  but  which,  in  the  case  of  General  Gordon,  with  his 
experience  and  his  gifts,  was  neither  the  one  nor  the  other 
—  not  that  he  must,  but  that  he  might,  hope  to  exercise  a 
strong  pacific  influence  by  going  to  the  right  persons  in  the 
Soudan,  and  it  was  his  desire  as  much  as  ours  that  this 
should  be  done  without  any  resort  whatever  to  violent 
means.  Now,  General  Gordon  went,  not  for  the  purpose  of 
reconquering  the  Soudan,  or  of  persuading  the  chiefs  of  the 
Soudan,  the  Sultans  who  were  at  the  head  of  the  tribes  of 
the  Soudan,  to  submit  themselves  again  to  the  Egyptian 
Government.  He  went  for  no  such  purpose  as  that.  He 
went  for  the  double  purpose  of  evacuating  the  country  by 
the  extrication  of  the  Egyptian  garrisons,  and  of  reconsti- 
tuting it  by  giving  back  to  the  Sultans  their  ancestral 
powers,  as  I  may  so  call  them,  which  had  been  withdrawn  or 
suspended  during  the  period  of  Egyptian  occupation.  I 
have  told  the  House  already  that  General  Gordon  had  in 
view  the  withdrawal  from  the  country  of  no  less  than 
twenty-nine  thousand  persons  paying  military  service  in 
Egypt.  The  House  will  see  how  vast  was  the  trust  which 
was  placed  in  the  hands  of  this  remarkable  person.  \\'e 
cannot  exaggerate  the  importance  we  attach  to  it.  We  are 
unwilling  to  do  anything  which  should  interfere  with  this 
great  pacific  scheme,  —  the  only  scheme,  absolutely  the  only 
scheme,  which  promised  a  satisfactory  solution  of  the  Sou- 


278  GENERAL    GORDON. 

danese  difficulty,  by  at  once  extricating  the  garrisons  and 
reconstituting  tlie  country  on  its  own  basis  of  local  privi- 
leges." 

The  following  telegraphic  correspondence  respecting  the 
affairs  of  the  Soudan  was  presented  to  Parliament :  — 

*'  Earl  Granville  to  Sir  E.  Baring. 

"  Foreign  Office,  Feb.  7,  1884,  6.25  p.m. 
"If  possible,  ask   Gordon  whether   change   of  circum- 
stances affects  his  judgment  as  to  going  to  Khartoum,  and 
whether  he  has  any  suggestions  to  make. 

"  Earl  Granville  to  Sir  E.  Baring. 

"Foreign  Office,  Feb.  8,  1884,  5.40  P.M. 
"  Make  it  clear  to  Gordon  that  request  for  his  suggestions 
is  not  confined  to  the  single  point  of  Khartoum,  but  extends 
to  any  alteration  for  assisting  the  object  with  which  he  is 
charged. 

"  Earl  Granville  to  Sir  E.  Baritig. 

"Foreign  Office,  Feb.  10,  1884,  il  P.M. 
"  Ask  Gordon  whether  he  can  suggest  anything  respecting 
Sinkat  and  Tokar. 

"  Earl  Gi'anville  to  Sir  E.  Baring. 

"Foreign  Office,  Feb.  11,  1884,  1.45  P.M. 
"  Send  on  following  to  Gordon  :  — 

" '  It  has  been  suggested  by  a  military  authority  that,  to 
assist  the  policy  of  withdrawal,  a  British  force  should  be  sent 
to  Suakim  sufficient  to  operate,  if  necessary,  in  its  "icinity. 
Would  such  a  step  injure  or  assist  your  mission? ' 


GORDON'S  RESPONSE.  279 

"  Sir  E.  Baring  to  Earl  Granville. 

"Cairo,  Feb.  12,  1884,  Noon. 

"  Gordon  telegraphs  as  follows  :  — 

" '  I  have  formed  a  Committee  of  Defence  with  Hassan 
Kalifa  Pasha. 

"  '  They  meet  to-day.  They  have  announced  my  assump- 
tion of  the  supreme  power  in  the  Soudan.  I  hope  to  con- 
ciliate whole  Province  of  Berber  under  my  presidency. 
Question  of  getting  out  garrison  and  families  is  so  inter- 
laced with  preservation  of  well-to-do  people  of  this  country 
as  to  be  for  the  present  inseparable.  Any  precipitate  action 
separating  these  interests  would  throw  all  well-disposed  peo- 
ple into  the  ranks  of  the  enemy,  and  would  fail  utterly  in  its 
effects.  Therefore  I  trust  patience  will  be  shown,  and  that 
you  will  not  be  at  all  anxious  as  to  issue.' 

"  Sir  E.  Baring  to  Earl  Granville. 

"Cairo,  Feb.  12,  1884,  2.20  P.M. 
"  Gordon  replies  :  — 

" '  As  to  sending  forces  to  Suakim  to  assist  withdrawal,  I 
would  care  more  for  rumor  of  such  intention  than  for 
forces.  What  would  have  greatest  effect  would  be  rumor  of 
English  intervention.' 

"  Sir  E.  Baling  to  Earl  Granville. 

"Cairo,  Feb.  12,  1884,  4  P.M. 
"  Gordon  replies  :  — 

"  '  About  Tokar  and  Sinkat,  you  can  do  nothing  except 
by  proclaiming  that  the  chiefs  of  tribes  should  come  to 
Khartoum  to  Assembly  of  Notables,  when  the  independence 
of  the  Soudan  will  be  decided.  As  for  money,  it  would  be 
well  to  try,  but  difficult  to  arrange.' 


2S0  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  Si7-  E.  Baring  to  Earl  Granville, 

"Cairo,  Feb.  12,  1884,  7  P.M. 

"  Gordon  telegraphs  :  — 

" '  Not  least  probability  of  any  massacre  of  women  and 
children.  Efforts  of  rebels  confined  to  raising  revolts 
among  their  neighbors.  It  seems  no  instance  has  occurred 
where  rebels  of  one  district  invaded  neighbor's  soil.  Have 
not  least  apprehension  for  safety  of  Khartoum  or  Berber 
being  in  jeopardy  by  events  at  Suakim.  Kassala  is,  of 
course,  in  danger  from  rising  of  its  own  lower  classes ;  but 
even  if  they  rise,  action  will  be  confined  to  robbery,  and 
perhaps  murder  of  a  few  Beys,  their  oppressors.' 

"  Sir  E.  Baring  to  Earl  Granville. 

"Cairo,  Feb.  13,  1884,  8.30  A.M. 
"  Gordon  leaves  Berber  to-day  for  Khartoum  with  several 
influential  chiefs.     He  will  not  hurry,  as  he  wishes  to  see 
people  on  banks. 

"  Consul  Baker  to  Earl  Granville. 

"Suakim,  Feb.  13,  1884. 
"All  quiet  in  town  and  camp.     Enemy  has  abandoned 
position  near  here  in  consequence  of  latest  news  of  British 
troops  en  route.     The  general  opinion  is  that  Tokar  will  be 
able  to  hold  out  till  relieved." 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

SUBSEQUENT   EVENTS   IN   THE   SOUDAN. 

"  He  can  report, 
As  seemeth  by  his  plight,  of  this  revolt 
The  newest  state." 

—  Macbeth. 

IN  the  meantime  the  troubles  in  the  Soudan  were  as  great 
as  ever. 

Tewfik  Bey,  the  gallant  commander  of  the  little  force  in 
Sinkat,  was  hoping  against  hope  that  relief  would  come  to 
him.  Some  spies  succeeded  in  reaching  him,  who,  on  their 
return,  said  that  Tewfik  was  delighted  to  see  them,  as  no 
news  had  been  received  for  a  long  time  from  Suakim,  and 
the  soldiers  were  getting  faint-hearted.  Parties  of  the  enemy 
gathered  every  day  on  knolls  outside,  and  shouted  curses 
to  the  little  garrison.  A  few  men  made  attacks,  but  the 
garrison  chased  them.  Tewfik  had  no  cavalry,  and  he  was 
not  sure  of  the  strength  of  the  enemy.  He  said  that  "  a 
large  party  among  the  Arabs  really  believe  that  the  Mahdi  is 
a  real  prophet  sent  from  God,  and  that  Osman  Digna  is  his 
Calif."  On  the  loth  of  January  Tewfik  said  he  had  not 
enough  provisions  for  a  dozen  days  more.  He  begged  the 
Government  to  send  troops  and  provisions,  as  every  day 
their  state  was  becoming  more  desperate. 

A  few  days  later  Tewfik  wrote  to  say  that  he  was  at  his 


282  GENERAL    GORDON. 

last  extremity;  the  dogs  and  all  other  animals  had  been 
devoured,  and  the  men  were  receiving  but  half-a-pound  of 
grain  a  day  on  which  to  live.  He  had  only  one  sack  of 
grain  left.  It  was  hoped  that  the  friendly  tribes  known  to 
be  near  would  relieve  him ;  if  not,  he  was  resolved,  on  the 
2d  of  February,  to  try  and  fight  his  way  to  Suakini,  as  he 
preferred  death  in  battle  to  starvation.  He  had  continually 
to  fight,  and  on  one  occasion  he  lost  nineteen  men. 

It  was  impossible  that  Baker's  anny  could  reach  Sinkat, 
owing  to  the  waterless  state  of  the  roads.  But  Tokar  was 
in  as  bad  a  plight  as  Sinkat.  The  commander  of  the  forces 
there  thus  described  his  state  :  — 

"  It  is  impossible  for  us  to  be  in  a  worse  condition  than 
we  now  are.  The  enemy  have  filled  up  all  the  wells  outside 
the  town,  and  the  water  in  the  inside  wells  is  brackish  and 
bad.  The  troops  are  suffering  greatly  from  diarrhoea,  and  I 
fear  that  in  two  or  three  days  we  shall  be  obliged  to  surren- 
der. We  have  dried  grain  enough  for  three  months,  but  no 
meat  or  ghee,  and  only  from  ten  to  twenty  rounds  of  ammuni- 
tion per  man.     The  rebels  fire  upon  us  night  and  day." 

When  Baker  Pasha  received  this  news  he  at  once  decided 
to  march  on  Tokar.  It  was  hoped  that  Osman  Digna,  the 
leader  of  the  rebel  tribes,  would  go  to  engage  with  him,  and 
so  lessen  the  pressure  around  Sinkat.  If  this  were  so,  Tew- 
fik's  army  would  have  a  better  chance  of  getting  away. 
Baker  offered  ^loo  to  the  first  sheikh  who  would  enter 
Sinkat  with  sujjplies,  and  large  rewards  to  all  tribes  who 
would  convey  food  to  the  place. 

On  Monday,  the  4th  of  f\>l)ruary,  occurred  another 
terrible  defeat.  The  Egyptian  army  seemed  to  have  no 
courage,  otherwise  the  battle  of  Teb  must  have  had  another 
conclusion.  It  was  a  dull  morning,  which  turned  to  rain, 
under  cover  of  which  the  rebels  advanced.     They  charged 


SUBSEQUENT  EVENTS  IN   THE   SOUDAN.       2S3 

suddenly,  uttering  wild  cries ;  and  at  the  sound  the  Egyptian 
horsemen  became  panic-stricken,  and,  turning  rein,  hurried 
away.  Some  of  the  soldiers  refused  even  to  defend  them- 
selves, but  threw  away  their  rifles,  and  fell  on  the  ground 
screaming  for  mercy.  The  generals  tried  to  get  the  men  to 
form  into  square  ;  but  there  was  wild  confusion  everywhere, 
and  the  Egyptians  could  not  be  induced  to  fight.  It  became 
a  total  rout,  and  the  shattered  columns  streamed  across  the 
plain  towards  Trinkitat,  the  cavalry  flying  before  them.  The 
enemy  pursued,  killing  them  as  they  went.  When  last  seen, 
Dr.  Leslie,  Morris  Bey,  and  Captain  Walker,  with  drawn 
swords  and  pistols,  were  standing  in  a  group  close  to  the 
guns,  facing  the  enemy,  and  quite  surrounded  by  them.  The 
pursuit  was  kept  up  for  five  miles,  and  then  the  fugitives 
made  their  way  to  Trinkitat.  On  reaching  the  shore  they 
were  so  eager  to  get  into  the  boats  that  the  English  soldiers 
had,  in  order  to  prevent  them  from  swamping,  to  keep  them 
back  with  revolvers.  Lieutenant  Cameron,  in  his  graphic 
description  of  the  battle,  remarks  :  — 

"  After  yesterday's  experience  no  one  here  will  ever  trust 
themselves  In  action  again  with  Egyptian  troops,  except, 
indeed,  with  bodies  of  well-drilled  Blacks,  who,  under  such 
circumstances,  only  can  be  relied  upon.  The  enemy  had 
not  three  thousand  men  in  the  field,  but  it  must  be  owned 
that  these  came  on  with  all  the  pluck  and  gallantry  of  the 
Moslems  of  old.  Those  of  us  who  saw  their  long  line  charge 
down  through  the  scrub  at  a  steady  pace,  after  uttering  a  wild 
whoop,  will  not  soon  forget  the  sight." 

Indeed,  this  battle  may  be  said  in  one  sense  to  have  set- 
tled the  fate  of  the  Soudan  ;  its  result  making  it  evident  that 
the  Egyptians  have  not  ability  to  rule  the  Arabs. 

While  this  reverse  was  occurring  at  Teb,  the  little  garrison 
at  Sinkat  was  in  despair.     Letters  arrived  from  Tewfik  im- 


284  GENERAL    GORDON. 

ploring  assistance.  He  would  have  known  the  impossibility 
of  sending  it  had  he  been  informed  that  Baker  had  been 
routed ;  but  he  did  not  know,  and  his  men  were  starving. 
His  last  despatch  said  they  were  chewing  leaves  in  order  to 
assuage  the  pangs  of  hunger.  At  last  news  came  that  the 
gallant  little  band  at  Sinkat  had  been  massacred. 

Tewfik  is  reported  to  have  pointed  out  to  his  men  that 
by  fighting  they  might  save  themselves  ;  by  remaining,  all 
must  in  a  few  days  die  of  hunger,  while  flight  was  impossible. 
Having  animated  his  men  with  his  own  spirit,  he  burned  all 
the  stores,  spiked  the  guns,  and  blew  up  the  magazines. 
Then  each  man  having  filled  his  pouches  with  as  much 
ammunition  as  he  could  carry,  the  six  hundred  issued  out. 
Osman's  hordes  at  once  rushed  down  to  the  attack.  Tewfik 
and  his  men  fought  nobly,  and  for  a  long  time  repulsed 
every  effort  to  break  their  ranks ;  but  at  last  numbers  pre- 
vailed. With  a  tremendous  rush  the  Arabs  burst  into  one 
of  the  sides  of  the  square,  and  a  general  massacre  then  took 
place.  Reports  received  by  the  Standard's  correspondent 
at  Suakim  speak  of  five  men  and  thirty  women  having  been 
spared ;  and  the  first  statement  that  the  women  and  children 
had  not  been  massacred  was  thus  contradicted.  The  streets 
of  Suakim,  when  the  news  arrived,  were  filled  with  crowds 
of  weeping  women  ;  and  although  the  English  there  are  less 
demonstrative  in  their  grief.  Lieutenant  Cameron  represents 
them  as  feeling  it  well-nigh  as  deeply  and  bitterly. 

When  the  news  reached  London  it  was  decided  to  take 
energetic  measures  for  the  relief,  if  possible,  of  Tokar  and 
for  assuring  the  safety  of  Suakim.  A  force  of  four  thousand 
men  were  at  once  collected  and  despatched  to  the  western 
shore  of  the  Red  Sea.  Lord  Wolseley,  the  Adjutant-General 
of  the  forces,  entered  into  communication  with  the  general 
officer  commanding  the  British  troops  in  Egypt.     General 


SUBSEQUENT  EVENTS  IN   THE  SOUDAN.       285 

Graham  was  to  command,  and  Colonel  Redvers  Buller  to  be 
the  second  in  command.  General  Stephenson  was  to  select 
the  three  best  battahons  of  infantry  from  among  his  troops. 
Some  Irish  Fusiliers  and  Marines  were  also  ordered  to  the 
Soudan.  The  loth  Hussars,  on  their  way  home  from  India, 
were  to  be  stopped  at  Suakim,  and  provided  with  horses. 
Provisions  were  to  be  taken  ;  and  the  expedition  was  to  go 
forth  promptly,  and  with  every  hope  that  its  work  would  be 
speedily  accomplished. 

This  news  was  warmly  welcomed  at  Suakim.  Admiral 
Hewett  sent  to  Tokar  to  say.  that  if  they  could  hold  out  a 
little  longer  an  English  force  would  march  to  their  relief. 
The  commandant  replied  in  a  hopeful  strain  that  he  thought 
he  could  manage  to  hold  out  until  relieved  by  English  troops. 

Better  news  then  reached  England.  The  Marines  arrived 
at  Suakim  first,  and  then  the  Hussars  and  Irish  Fusiliers. 
It  was  feared  that  ihe  Jumna,  in  which  the  relief  party  were 
hastening,  might  come  into  contact  with  Osman  Digna's 
forces  ;  but  all  went  well. 

In  consequence  of  the  rapidity  with  which  news  reaches 
England  by  telegraph,  it  became  known  that  probably  on  a 
certain  day  in  February  a  battle  would  be  fouglit ;  and  so 
strongly  was  the  imagination  wrought  on,  that  we  could 
almost  see  the  blaze  and  the  dust,  and  hear  the  noise  of 
battle.  We  knew  that  the  stores  had  all  been  landed,  and 
the  whole  force  had  moved  to  Fort  Baker,  and  that  it  was 
intended  to  bivouac  there,  and  early  in  the  morning  march 
to  Teb,  for  the  battle  was  to  take  place  on  the  ground  which 
had  proved  so  fatal  to  Baker  and  Moncrieff. 

War  is  always  horrible.  We  cannot  but  mourn  that  it  has 
ever  to  take  place,  and  wish  for  the  time  when  it  shall  cease 
for  ever  from  the  earth  ;  but  while  it  lasts,  every  one  feels 
an  interest  in  the  success  of  his  own  soldiers,  and  rejoices 
when  the  victory  is  on  his  own  side. 


286  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Great  courage  on  both  sides  was  exhibited  at  the  second 
battle  of  'I'eb.  Everything  was  ready.  The  surgeons  were 
there,  prepared  to  do  their  best  for  the  wounded.  The 
newspaper  correspondents  were  there,  ready  to  write  the 
whole  particulars  for  their  readers  ;  and  so  were  the  artists 
who  sketched  the  terrible  scenes,  that  in  a  week  or  two  the 
whole  reading  world  might  realize  the  event  almost  as  fully 
as  those  who  were  eye-witnesses  of  it.  And  the  soldiers 
were  there,  ready  to  die  doing  their  duty. 

They  cheered  as  they  advanced,  and  the  pipers  of  the 
Black  Watch  played  the  bagpipes.  Some  one  said  that  as 
they  were  not  stationed  in  front,  they  would  try  to  do  their 
best  to  frighten  the  enemy  away  with  their  strains  of  un- 
earthly music.  The  battle  lasted  between  three  and  four 
hours ;  and  then  a  loud  cheer  from  the  Gordon  Highlanders, 
and  a  blast  from  the  bagpipes,  told  of  victory. 

Sir  E.  Baring  at  once  telegraphed  the  news  of  the  victory 
in  Arabic  to  General  Gordon,  so  that  it  was  known  all  up 
the  line. 

The  next  thing  was  for  the  troops  to  occupy  Tokar.  They 
imagined  that  the  enemy  might  probably  come  up  again  and 
try  to  prevent  this  ;  but  no  opposition  was  offered,  and  the 
troops  marched  in,  to  the  great  joy  of  those  who  were  left  in 
Tokar.  They  found  that  the  Egyptian  garrison  only  num- 
bered about  seventy,  and  they  were  in  a  starving  condition. 
Many  had  gone  over  to  the  enemy,  and  some  had  died. 
Those  who  remained,  as  well  as  the  population  of  the  town, 
welcomed  their  deliverers  with  tears  of  joy. 

There  were  great  rejoicings  everywhere  ;  but  the  list  of 
the  killed  and  the  wx)unded  could  not  be  read  without  a 
shudder.  On  the  British  side  four  officers,  thirty-two  pri- 
vates and  two  marines  were  killed  ;  and  seventeen  officers 
and  one  hundred  and  forty-two  soldiers  and  marines  were 


SUBSEQUENT  EVENTS  IN   THE   SOUDAN.       287 

wounded.  On  the  side  of  the  enemy  it  was  estimated  that 
over  a  thousand  had  been  slain. 

It  was  hoped  that  this  loss  on  the  enemy's  side  would 
ensure  his  submission ;  but  it  did  not.  Many,  no  doubt, 
who  had  believed  the  Mahdi's  troops  invincible  lost  faith, 
and  were  inclined  to  waver ;  but  it  is  to  be  feared  that  his 
power  over  the  Arabs  will  yet  prove  a  source  of  trouble. 

The  following  order  was  issued  by  General  Graham  at 
the  close  of  the  battle  to  the  troops  who  had  fought  under 
him  :  — 

"  The  objects  of  the  expedition  are  now  achieved.  Tokar 
has  been  relieved,  and  the  rebels  so  thoroughly  humbled, 
that  the  force  before  Tokar  may  safely  retire.  But  before 
the  force  is  broken  up,  the  General  desires  to  record  his 
sense  of  the  gallantry  and  good  discipline  displayed  by  all 
arms.  The  cavalry  have  shown  that  dash  which  has  always 
characterized  that  arm  of  our  military  force,  and  have  also 
rendered  invaluable  service  in  reconnaissance  and  scouting 
duties.  The  action  of  the  infantry  generally  has  been  char- 
acterized by  steadiness  and  firmness  in  the  presence  of  the 
enemy.  The  first  operation  carried  out,  that  of  moving  to  a 
flank  under  a  heavy  fire,  was  very  trying  to  the  steadiness 
of  young  soldiers,  as  was  the  great  daring  shown  by  the  foe 
in  charging  down  to  close  quarters  in  the  face  of  an  over- 
whelming force.  The  result  of  the  action  shows  the  British 
soldier  that  as  long  as  he  keeps  steady  in  formation  and  cool 
in  firing,  desperate  rushes  like  those  made  by  these  brave 
Blacks  only  ensure  their  destruction.  The  Arabs  have  now 
felt  the  terrible  effects  of  the  fire  of  the  British  infantry.  The 
lesson  will  not  easily  be  forgotten.  The  General  thanks  the 
Naval  Brigade  under  Commander  Rolfe,  for  their  cheerful 
endurance  during  the  sevei*  work  of  dragging  the  guns 
across  the  difficult  country,  when  suffering  from  the  heat 


288  GENERAL    GORDON. 

and  scarcity  of  water ;  for  their  ready  gallantry  and  steadi- 
ness under  fire  when  serving  their  guns,  they  have  con- 
tributed materially  to  the  success  of  the  action.  I  cannot 
too  highly  express  my  thanks  for  their  services. 

"'Hie  guns  of  the  Royal  Artillery  were  also  admirably 
served,  and  these,  in  conjunction  with  those  of  the  Naval 
Brigade,  succeeded  in  silencing  the  enemy's  fire,  and  pre- 
pared the  way  for  the  advance  ofthe  infantry.  The  staff 
oiiticers  of  all  departments  also  worked  without  sparing  them- 
selves. The  supplies  were  never  stopped,  in  spite  of  the 
difficult  country.  The  General  especially  commends  the 
absence  of  all  crime  on  the  part  of  the  troops.  He  is  proud 
to  command  them  ;  they  deserve  well  of  their  country." 

A  few  days  afterwards  Admiral  Hewett  and  General 
Graham  issued  a  joint  proclamation  to  the  tribes.  They 
asked  all  the  sheikhs  to  come  in  and  meet  them  at  Suakim. 
"  You  have  already,"  says  the  proclamation,  "  been  warned 
that  the  English  forces  have  come  here,  not  only  to  relieve 
the  garrison  of  Tokar,  but  to  redress  the  wrongs  under  which 
you  have  so  long  suffered  ;  nevertheless,  you  have  gone  on 
trusting  that  notorious  scoundrel,  Osman  Digna,  well  known 
to  you  all  as  a  bad  man,  his  former  life  in  Suakim  having 
proved  that  to  be  the  case.  He  has  led  you  away  with  the 
foolish  idea  that  the  Mahdi  has  come  on  earth.  The  great 
God  who  rules  the  universe  does  not  send  such  scoundrels 
as  Osman  Digna  for  His  messengers.  Your  people  are  brave, 
and  England  always  respects  such  men.  Awake,  then,  chase 
Osman  Digna  from  your  country.  We  promise  you  that  pro- 
tection and  pardon  shall  be  granted  to  all  who  come  in  at 
once  ;  otherwise  the  fate  of  those  who  fell  at  El  Teb  shall 
surely  overtake  you." 

This  proclamation  was  followed  a  few  days  later  by 
another,  sent  especially  to  the  sheikhs  of  thirty-three  hostile 
tribes  :  — 


SUBSEQUENT  EVENTS  IN   THE  SOUDAN.       289 

"We,  the  Admiral  of  the  English  fleet  and  the  General 
of  the  English  army  assemljled  at  Suakim,  do  hereby  sum- 
mon you  to  disperse  peaceably,  and  to  return  to  your  homes. 
The  English  army  is  about  to  march  to  your  camp  in  the 
Valley  of  Tamanieh,  and  will  treat  all  found  there  in  arms 
as  rebels  in  the  same  way  they  treated  those  at  El  Teb. 
Be  warned  in  time.  Listen  no  more  to  the  evil  counsels  of 
Osman  Digna.  If  you  have  any  grievances,  send  delegates 
to  Khartoum  to  meet  General  Gordon,  whom  you  all  know 
to  be  a  good  and  just  man.  If  you  desire  to  send  delegates 
to  us,  we  promise  them  protection,  and  will  transmit  their 
statements  by  telegraph  to  General  Gordon,  and  obtain  a 
repl}'  in  one  day.  We  desire  you  to  send  a  reply  by  the 
bearer  of  this  letter,  or  the  consequences  will  be  upon  your 
own  head." 

The  following  reply  was  sent  to  the  British  Generals  from 
the  camp  of  Osman  Digna  :  — 

"  In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God,  the  Lord  be 
praised,  etc.  From  the  whole  of  the  tribes  and  their 
sheikhs  who  have  received  your  writings,  and  those  who  did 
not  receive  writings,  to  the  Commandant  of  the  English 
soldiers,  whom  God  help  to  Islam.  Amen.  Then  your 
letters  have  arrived  with  us,  and  what  you  have  informed  us 
in  them  —  to  come  in  —  then  know  that  the  gracious  God 
has  sent  his  Mahdi  suddenly  who  was  expected,  the  looked- 
for  messenger  for  the  religious  and  against  the  infidels,  so  as 
to  show  the  religion  of  God  through  him,  and  by  him  to  kill 
those  who  hate  him,  which  has  happened.  You  have  seen 
who  have  gone  to  him  from  the  people  and  soldiers,  who 
are  countless.  God  killed  them,  so  look  at  the  multitudes." 
Here  follow  verses  from  the  Koran.  "  You  who  never  know 
religion  till  after  death  hate  God  from  the  beginning.  Then 
we  are  sure  that  God,  and  only  God,  sent  the  Mahdi,  so  as 


290  GENERAL    GORDON. 

to  take  away  your  property,  and  you  know  this  since  the 
time  of  our  Lord  Mahomet's  coming.  Pray  to  God,  and  be 
converted.  There  is  nothing  between  us  but  the  sword, 
especially  as  the  Mahdi  has  come  to  kill  you  and  destroy 
you  unless  God  wishes  you  to  Islam.  The  Mahdi's  sword 
be  on  your  necks  wherever  you  may  escape,  and  God's  iron 
be  round  your  necks  wherever  you  may  go.  Do  not  think 
you  are  enough  for  us,  and  the  Turks  are  only  a  little  better 
than  you.  We  will  not  leave  your  heads  unless  you  become 
Mussulmans  and  listen  to  the  Prophet  and  laws  of  God,  and 
God  said  in  His  dear  book  those  who  believe  Him  fight  for 
Him,  and  those  who  do  not  believe  in  Him  shall  be  killed." 
Here  follow  many  verses  from  the  Koran  referring  to  per- 
mission to  kill  infidels.  "  Therefore  God  has  waited  for  you 
for  a  long  time,  and  you  have  thought  that  He  would  always 
go  on  waiting  for  you  ;  but  God  said  He  would  wait  for  you 
as  you  were  bad.  People  but  know  that  during  the  time  of 
the  Mahdi  he  will  not  accept  bribes  from  you,  and  also  will 
not  leave  you  in  your  infidelity,  so  there  is  nothing  for  you 
but  the  sword,  so  that  there  will  not  remain  one  of  you  on 
the  face  of  the  earth,  therefore  Islam.  Sealed  by  sheikhs  of 
twenty-one  tribes." 

The  troop-ship  Jumna  took  the  wounded  to  Suez,  and  a 
special  train,  with  invalid  carriages,  conveyed  the  wounded 
from  the  wharf  to  the  Victoria  Hospital.  The  Eastern 
Telegraph  Company  kindly  offered  to  send  messages  from 
wounded  officers  to  their  friends  free  of  charge.  And  the 
Queen  telegraphed  her  thanks  for  the  services  of  her  sol- 
diers, her  sympathy  with  the  wounded,  and  her  sorrow  for 
those  who  mourned  the  dead. 

On  the  nth  of  March  the  news  reached  England  that 
General  Graham  had  had  another  victory.  He  engaged 
with  Osman   Digna's  army  at  a  place  called  Tamanieb,  and 


SUBSEQUENT  EVENTS  IN   THE   SOUDAN.       291 

completely  routed  it.  Osman  himself  fled  to  the  hills,  and 
the  day  after  the  battle  they  marched  on  Osman  Digna's 
village,  and  destroyed  it,  burning  all  the  guns,  and  arms, 
and  ammunition  they  found  there.  They  met  with  no  oppo- 
sition ;  and  it  was  felt  that  the  cause  of  the  Mahdi  had,  in 
that  decisive  battle,  received  a  blow  from  whicii  it  could  not 
recover.  He  had  little  difficulty  in  persuading  his  followers 
to  believe  in  him  when  an  unbroken  series  of  victories 
seemed  to  them  to  confirm  his  own  statements.  But  when 
reverses  and  defeats  told  another  story,  it  was  far  less  likely 
that  they  would  be  faithful  to  him.  Unhappily  tlie  British 
losses  in  this  engagement  were  very  heavy.  One  hundred 
and  ten  were  killed,  including  five  officers,  and  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  wounded. 

General  Graham  offered  a  reward  for  the  capture  of 
Osman  Digna  himself,  but  the  rev^^ard  was  afterwards  with- 
drawn. It  was  resolved  to  make  a  final  effort  to  disperse 
the  force  still  remaining  under  Osman  Digna ;  and  the 
English  troops,  after  much  suffering,  owing  to  the  intense 
heat  and  total  absence  of  water  on  the  line  of  route,  reached 
the  Arab  position  at  Tamanud  on  the  27th  of  March.  After 
some  desultory  firing,  in  which  the  English  sustained  no  loss, 
the  enemy  abandoned  their  position  and  fled,  completely 
routed  and  demoralized.  The  troops  then  returned  to  Sua- 
kim,  and  the  campaign  was  announced  as  at  an  end,  its 
object  —  the  relief  of  Tokar  and  the  dispersion  of  the  Arabs 
—  being  accomplished. 

Ratlier  an  interesting  trophy  of  the  war  was  presented  to 
Her  Majesty  the  Queen.  It  consisted  of  the  Mahdi's  stan- 
dard, which  was  captured  by  the  British  troops  at  the  relief 
of  Tokar.  Lieutenant  Wilford  Lloyd,  Royal  Horse  Artillery, 
on  his  return  home,  was  commissioned  by  General  Graham 
to  convey  the  trophy  to  Her  Majesty.     The  gallant  officer, 


292  GENERAL    GORDON. 

who  has  already  seen  considerable  active  service,  left  Trin- 
kitat  on  the  5th  of  March,  travelling  via  Cairo  and  Alexan- 
dria to  Venice,  and  thence  to  London,  where  he  arrived  on 
the  ninth.  He  soon  after  proceeded  to  Windsor.  The 
standard,  which  is  about  two  and  a  half  yards  long  and  two 
yards  wide,  is  composed  of  red  and  yellow  silk.  On  one 
side  is  an  Arab  inscription,  stating  that  it  was  presented  by 
the  Mahdi  to  the  Governor  of  Tokar,  and  on  the  other  a 
text  from  the  Koran:  "There  is  no  God  but  God,  and 
Mahomet  is  His  Prophet.  Every  one  professes  the  knowl- 
edge of  God."  The  Queen,  accompanied  by  Princess 
Beatrice,  received  Lieutenant  Wilford  Lloyd  in  the  corridor 
after  luncheon.  Having  been  introduced  by  General  Sir 
H.  F.  Ponsonby,  he  presented  the  flag  on  behalf  of  General 
Graham  to  Her  Majesty,  who  was  greatly  interested  in  the 
trophy. 


CHAPTER  XXVIL 

SLAVERY   AND   GORDON'S   PROCLAMATION. 

"  The  good  I  stand  on  is  my  honesty. 

I  fear  nothing 
That  can  be  said  against  me." 

—  Henry  VIII. 

GENERAL  GORDON  went  on  his  way  as  swiftly  as 
possible,  and  the  people  everywhere  rejoiced  to  see 
him.  It  was  known  that  one  of  the  most  dangerous  parts  of 
his  journey  was  that  from  Korosko  to  Berber,  which  was 
over  the  desert  of  Abou  Hamid.  He  was  a  day  later  in 
arriving  than  he  expected  to  be,  and  wild  rumors  began  to 
be  circulated  respecting  him.  But  he  was  safely  helped  on 
his  journey,  and  no  one  molested  him.  Soon  after  he  left 
Korosko  some  friendly  Bedouins  had  gathered  together  and 
offered  their  assistance  in  crossing  the  Desert.  They  were 
quite  ready  to  accompany  him  if  he  cared  to  have  them  ; 
but  he  thanked  them  and  declined,  giving  as  his  reason  for 
refusing  the  escort  his  anxiety  to  travel  with  the  utmost 
possible  rapidity. 

He  reached  Berber  in  safety,  and  telegraphed  the  good 
news  immediately.  He  said  that  he  was  safe  and  well,  and 
thought  there  was  no  danger.  He  considered  that  the 
country  was  cjuieting  down,  and  said   he   had  e\ery  hope 


294  GENERAL    GORDON. 

that,  in  the  end,  his  mission  would  prove  successful.  He 
thanked  most  heartily  the  Egyptian  Government  for  the 
arrangements  which  they  had  made  for  him  on  the  way. 
Every  one  was  rejoiced  to  hear  of  his  safety. 

From  Berber  to  Khartoum  he  went  by  water,  and  was 
received  by  his  old  friends  there  with  every  demonstration 
of  joy  and  enthusiasm  of  welcome,  which  showed  how  much 
he  was  loved. 

When  he  left  Cairo,  his  last  words  to  Nubar  Pasha  were, 
"  I  will  save  the  honor  of  Eg)'pt."  Before  entering  the 
desert,  he  sent  a  brief  message  to  the  garrison  he  was 
hastening  to  relieve,  exhorting  them  to  be  brave  ;  "  Ye  are 
men,  not  women,"  he  said.  From  Berber,  where  he 
emerged  from  the  desert,  and  was  about  to  take  steamer 
down  the  Nile  to  Khartoum,  he  telegraphed  back  to  the 
Egyptian  Premier  at  Cairo  :  "  I  am  sending  down  many 
women  and  children  to  Korosko.  I  wish  you  would  send  a 
kind-hearted  man  to  meet  them.  A  European  is  best." 
At  the  same  time  he  said,  "  Give  yourself  no  further  anxiety 
about  this  part  of  the  Soudan.  The  people,  great  and  small, 
are  heartily  glad  to  be  free  of  a  union  which  has  only  caused 
them  sorrow." 

The  Tivies  correspondent,  telegraphing  the  same  day, 
stated  :  "  His  speech  to  the  people  was  received  with  enthu- 
siasm. He  said  :  *  I  come  without  soldiers,  but  with  God 
on  my  side,  to  redress  the  evils  of  the  Soudan.  I  will  not 
fight  with  any  weapons  but  justice.  There  shall  be  no  more 
Bashi-Bazouks.'  It  is  now  believed  that  he  will  relieve  the 
Bahr  Gazelle  garrisons  without  firing  a  shot.  Since  they 
heard  that  he  was  coming,  the  aspect  of  the  people  has  so 
changed  that  there  are  no  longer  any  fears  of  disturbances  in 
the  town.  They  say  that  he  is  giving  them  more  than  even 
the  Mahdi  could  give.     He  is  sending  out  proclamations 


SLAVERY  AND    GORDON'S  PROCLAMATION.     295 

in  all  directions.  Such  is  the  influence  of  one  man,  that 
there  are  no  longer  any  fears  for  the  garrison  or  people  of 
Khartoum." 

Mr.  Power,  the  correspondent  of  the  Times,  further  tele- 
graphed :  Yesterday  was  one  series  of  acceptable  surprises 
for  the  people  of  Khartoum.  General  Gordon's  proclama- 
tion preceded  him  ;  and  immediately  on  his  arrival  he  sum- 
moned the  officials,  thus  preparing  the  people  for  some  salu- 
tary changes.  He  next  held  a  levee  at  the  Mudirieh,  the 
entire  population,  even  the  poorest  Arab,  being  admitted. 
On  his  way  between  the  Mudirieh  and  the  Palace,  about  one 
thousand  persons  pressed  forward,  kissing  his  hands  and 
feet,  and  calling  him  "Sultan,"  "  Father,"  and  "  Saviour  of 
Kordofan." 

He  at  once  set  to  work  with  all  vigor  to  give  the  people 
some  much-needed  reforms.  First,  he  had  the  telegraph 
repaired,  so  that  messages  might  be  sent.  Then  he  had 
offices  opened  in  the  Palace,  and  invited  the  people  to  come 
to  him  and  Colonel  Stewart,  and  state  their  grievances.  He 
found  that  many  were  suffering  from  the  burden  of  taxation 
that  lay  upon  them,  and  dreading  that  their  out-standing 
debts  to  the  Government  would  be  demanded.  But  Gordon 
had  a  great  fire  made  in  front  of  the  Palace,  and  the  Gov- 
ernment books  recording  these  debts  were  burnt.  "  Now," 
said  the  kindly  General,  "we  will  have  no  more  of  the  whip. 
No  one  else  is  going  to  be  bastinadoed ;  so  bring  all  the 
kurbashes  and  implements  of  punishment  to  me,  and  we  will 
make  a  grand  fire  of  them  also." 

This  was  accordingly  done,  amid  the  glad  shouts  of  the 
delighted  people,  who  seemed  to  feel  that  their  deliverer 
had  indeed  come.  He  telegraphed  also  that  he  had  ap- 
pointed Colonel  Coetlogan  to  the  supreme  command  at 
Khartoum  ;  and  with  him  and  Colonel  Stewart  he  visited  the 


296  GENERAL    GORDON. 

prison,  the  hospital,  and  the  arsenal.  He  found  the  prison 
a  den  of  misery ;  two  hundred  wretches  were  loaded  with 
chains.  He  had  before  created  a  council  of  Arab  notables 
residing  in  Khartoum,  in  order  to  help  him.  He  gave  to  Colo- 
nel Stewart  the  duty  of  examining  into  the  cases  of  prison- 
ers, and  reporting  thereon.  There  were  boys  and  old  men, 
and  even  women,  there,  some  of  whom  were  not  yet  con- 
demned, but  who  had  been  wearily  waiting  in  that  terrible 
place  during  many  months,  and  actually  in  some  cases  for 
several  years,  for  their  trials  to  take  place,  when  it  should  be 
decided  whether  they  were  guilty,  and  must  continue  to  be 
incarcerated,  or  innocent,  and  allowed  to  be  free.  The  sight 
of  the  kind  English  faces,  full  of  pity  for  their  sufferings  and 
of  indignation  at  their  wrongs,  must  have  brought  hope  into 
many  a  hopeless  breast.  One  woman  lifted  her  beseeching 
eyes  to  the  new  judges  who  had  come,  and  began  to  plead 
her  cause, — 

"  All  the  best  of  my  life  has  been  spent  in  this  place.  I 
was  only  a  child  when  I  committed  the  crime.  May  I  not 
now  go  free  ?  " 

"  How  long  have  you  been  here  ?  " 

"Fifteen  years." 

And  after  fifteen  years  of  darkness  and  captivity  the  woman 
was  sent  out  into  the  bright  sunshine  and  the  fresh  air,  to 
bless  her  deliverers  with  tears  of  gratitude. 

The  prisoners  were  not  liberated  indiscriminately.  That 
would  not  have  been  holding  the  balance  level.  Their  cases 
were  all  examined,  and  those  who  ouglit  to  be  retained  were 
kept.  But  all  had  their  chains  struck  off,  and  many  of  them 
were  set  at  liberty ;  to  be,  let  us  hope,  faithful  friends  and 
helpers  of  the  man  who  had  rescued  them  from  injustice  and 
wrong. 

That  was  a  wonderful  day ;  and  at  night  the  people  gave 


SLAVERY  AND    GORDON'S  PROCLAMATION.      297 

themselves  up  to  rejoicing.  All  parties  united  to  make  the 
fete  a  grand  one  ;  and  the  town  was  in  a  blaze  of  illumination. 
Flowers  and  lanterns,  bright  banners  and  variegated  lamps, 
colored  cloths  and  bangles,  were  freely  used  everywhere. 
The  bazaar  was  especially  gay,  and  every  house  was  decora- 
ted, while  the  entire  negro  population  exhibited  a  fine  dis- 
play of  fireworks.  Indeed,  the  scene  must  have  been  quite 
wonderful,  and  exceedingly  picturesque,  with  a  brilliancy  of 
adornment  such  as  we  can  scarcely  imagine  in  England. 

The  motto  of  General  Gordon,  in  which  he  heartily  be- 
heved  himself,  and  which  he  caused  to  be  understood  by 
the  people,  was  a  very  simple  and  a  very  just  one,  — 

"The  Soudan  for  the  Soudanese." 

In  order  at  once  to  begin  to  make  this  theory  a  fact,  he 
gave  orders  that  all  the  white  troops  should  go  to  the  other 
side  of  the  Nile,  themselves  and  their  families  being  sent 
down  the  river  in  detachments.  The  Europeans  who  chose 
to  leave  might  also  do  so.  He  had  two  new  gates  opened 
in  the  fortifications,  and  introduced  generally  a  feeling  of 
security  and  freedom.  Unfortunately  (for  he  hates  war), 
the  town  of  Khartoum  appears  since  to  have  been  attacked 
by  the  Arabs,  and  General  Gordon,  who  devoutly  hoped 
there  would  be  no  need  for  a  single  shot  to  be  fired,  has 
had,  in  self-defence,  to  send  some  of  his  men  out  to  fight. 

But,  so  far  as  the  internal  management  of  Khartoum  was 
concerned,  he  had  nothing  to  fear.  In  a  letter  of  thanks 
which  he  addressed  to  Colonel  Coetlogan,  in  which  he  gave 
him  very  high  praise  for  his  services,  and  assured  him  that 
the  good  work  already  accomplished  had  been  greatly 
through  his  aid,  he  said  :  "  My  belief  is  that  there  is  not  the 
least  chance  of  any  danger  being  incurred  by  Khartoum, 
which  I  consider  as  safe  as  Cairo.     Therefore,  your  services 


298  GENERAL   GORDON. 

here  in  a  military  capacity  would  be  wasted.  I  consider 
this  place  was  in  imminent  danger,  not  from  an  external 
enemy,  but  from  the  people  of  the  town,  who,  bullied  by 
the  effete  government  of  Hussein  Pasha  Cheri,  became 
favorable  to  the  El  Obeid  people.  Rest  assured  you  leave 
this  place  as  safe  as  Kensington  Park." 

Every  one  hopes  that  events  will  prove  the  Governor- 
General  to  have  been  correct  in  the  sanguine  opinion  which 
he  thus  expressed. 

One  thing  made  him  exceedingly  angry  with  the  ex-Gov- 
ernor of  Khartoum,  Hussein  Pasha  Cheri. 

Among  the  other  cases  which  demanded  enquiry  and 
attention  was  that  of  Sheikh  Belud  of  Khartoum.  The  old 
man  had  to  be  carried  into  his  presence,  for  he  was  quite 
unable  to  walk ;  indeed,  it  is  to  be  feared  that  he  may  never 
walk  again. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  asked  the  Governor;  and  then 
the  story  of  the  old  man's  wrongs  was  unfolded  to  him. 

Six  weeks  before,  Hussein  Pasha  Cheri  had  bastinadoed 
the  feet  of  this  man  so  severely  that  the  skin  was  all  torn  off 
and  the  sinews  exposed.  When  Gordon  saw  them  he 
declared  that  Hussein  should  be  punished  for  his  cruelty, 
and  he  at  once  telegraphed  to  the  authorities  of  Cairo  to 
stop  ;;^50  of  his  pay,  which  money  was  to  be  handed  to  the 
bastinadoed  sheikh  for  compensation.  If  the  ex-Governor 
objected,  then  he  was  to  be  sent  back  to  Khartoum  for 
trial. 

We  have  said  that  two  new  gates  into  the  palace  grounds 
had  been  opened.  At  each  of  these  gates  General  Gordon 
had  boxes  placed,  into  which  the  people  might  drop  their 
petitions  and  complaints.  This  he  has  ever  found  a  good 
plan,  for  previously  the  people  could  only  get  access  to  the 
Governor  by  the  payment  of  large  sums  of  money.  He 
also  made  the  market  free  from  tolls  and  taxes. 


SLAVERY  AND    GORDON'S  PROCLAMATION.     299 

The  next  thing  that  the  General  did  aroused  in  England 
a  great  clamor  of  astonishment  and  displeasure. 

He  had  pasted  on  all  the  posts  and  public  places,  so  that 
every  one  might  read  it,  the  following  proclamation  to  all  the 
inhabitants  :  — 

"  As  I  have  been  appointed  Governor  of  all  the  Soudan, 
with  the  approval  and  by  the  decree  of  the  Exalted  Khedive, 
and  Britannia,  the  All- Powerful,  the  Soudan  and  its  Govern- 
ment have  become  independent,  and  will  look  after  their 
own  affairs,  without  interference  by  the  Egyptian  Government 
in  anything  whatever. 

"  I  also  proclaim  an  amnesty,  and  grant  you  the  privileges 
given  during  the  reign  of  Said  Pasha ;  and  inform  you  that 
His  Majesty  the  Sultan,  the  Exalted,  had  made  up  his  mind 
to  send  Turkish  soldiers,  the  well-known  valiant  and  cour- 
ageous conquerors.  But  when  His  Majesty  heard  of  your 
wretched  condition,  and  of  my  compassion  for  you,  he  sent 
me,  at  great  risk,  putting  my  faith  in  the  God  of  all  man- 
kind, to  prevent  the  declaration  by  His  Majesty  the  Sultan 
of  war  between  Moslems.  .  .  . 

"  Your  tranquillity  is  the  object  of  our  hope.  And  as  I 
know  that  you  are  sorrowful  on  account  of  the  slavery 
which  existed  among  you,  and  the  stringent  orders  on  the 
part  of  the  Government  for  the  abolition  of  it,  and  the 
punishment  of  those  who  deal  in  them  (the  slaves),  and  the 
assurances  given  by  the  Government  for  its  abolition, 
seizing  upon  and  punishing  those  concerned  in  the  trade  ; 
the  punishment  of  those  who  trade  in  slaves,  according  to 
Imperial  decrees,  and  the  firmans  forwarded  to  you  —  all 
this  is  known  to  you. 

"  But  henceforward  nobody  will  interfere  with  you  in  the 
matter,  but  every  one  for  himself  may  take  a  man  into  his 
service   henceforth.      No  one   will  interfere  with  him,  and 


300  GENERAL    GORDON. 

he  can  do  as  he  pleases  in  the  matter,  without  interference 
on  the  part  of  anybody ;  and  we  have  accordingly  given  this 
order. 

"  My  compassion  for  you. 

"  (Signed),  Gordon  Pasha." 

Whatever  effect  this  proclamation  might  have  had  in 
Khartoum,  it  made  a  great  stir  in  this  country.  Every 
one  was  surprised ;  and  perhaps  it  is  not  too  much  to  say 
that  every  one  was  sorry.  The  hatred  of  slavery  and  the 
slave  trade  by  English  hearts  is  consistent,  uncompromis- 
ing, and  most  intense  ;  and  that  General  Gordon  should 
declare  that  he  permitted  it  filled  every  one  with  disappoint- 
ment and  dissatisfaction.  In  the  House  of  Commons  the 
Opposition  demanded,  in  indignant  tones,  the  meaning  of 
it.  Was  England  going  to  be  untrue  to  all  her  traditions, 
and,  in  the  person  of  one  who  was  beloved  and  honored  as 
one  of  her  greatest  heroes,  undo  what  she  had  previously 
done? 

In  the  midst  of  the  commotion  a  few  people  continued 
calm.  The  Ministers  declared  that  they  would  stand  by 
the  man  who  had  gone  at  their  bidding  to  the  Soudan, 
with  the  understanding  that  he  was  to  use  his  own  judgment 
as  to  the  best  methods  of  bringing  about  the  peace  that  was 
so  desirable. 

The  Earl  of  Derby,  in  the  House  of  Lords,  said  :  "  My 
Lords,  my  noble  friend  asks  me  whether  we  approve  or 
disapprove  of  the  Proclamation  which  has  been  recently 
issued  by  General  Gordon.  The  only  answer  I  can  give  at 
the  present  time  will  be  an  extremely  short  and  simple 
one.  As  the  House  knows,  the  instructions  which  have 
been  given  to  General  Gordon  leave  him  in  possession  of 
practically   unlimited  powers.     This    Proclamation  was  not 


SLAVERY  AND   GORDON'S  PROCLAMATION.     301 

issued  in  consequence  of  any  instructions  sent  from  here, 
and,  in  point  of  fact,  our  first  knowledge  of  it  arose  from 
seeing  the  summary  in  the  papers.  We  have  no  doubt  got 
the  text  of  the  document,  and  what  may  be  regarded  as  a 
brief  telegraphic  statement  referring  to  it ;  but  we  have 
not  yet  got  that  full  explanation  of  the  circumstances  which| 
led  to  it,  the  conditions  of  the  people  to  whom  it  was 
addressed,  and  generally  the  state  of  the  case  with  which 
General  Gordon  has  to  deal,  which  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
for  us  to  know  before  we  can  form  a  judgment  on  the 
action  which  General  Gordon  has  taken. 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  throw  any  doubt  on  the  action  of 
General  Gordon.  I  have  the  highest  opinion,  not  only  of  his 
devotion  to  the  cause  which  he  is  engaged  in,  but  of  the 
detestation  which  all  his  life  he  has  expressed  of  the  slave 
trade.  We  know  what  he  has  done  in  China  and  elsewhere, 
and  this  has  all  shown  us  the  marvellous  influence  which 
he  seems  to  have  exercised  over  the  minds  of  the  natives. 
Knowing,  then,  his  capacity  for  dealing  with  persons  of 
that  class,  it  is  only  reasonable  that  we  should  wait  for 
that  full  explanation  of  the  circumstances  under  which  it 
was  issued  before  we  proceed  to  discuss  it.  Meanwhile,  I 
think  General  Gordon  is  entitled  to  be  treated  with  that 
fairness  which  his  antecedents  and  the  whole  history  of  his 
life  would  indicate.  But  while  we  do  not  know  precisely 
what  happened,  I  should  rather  be  disposed  to  think  that 
what  occurred  was  something  of  this  kind.  General  Gordon 
found  a  very  strong  opposition  to  the  present  Government  in 
Egypt,  as  being  under  European  influence,  and  as  it  was  well- 
known  that  the  English  Government  is  advising  the  Egyptian 
Government,  it  is  quite  possible  that  one  of  the  leading  topics 
of  those  who  are  endeavoring  to  advocate  the  cause  of  the 
Mahdi  would  be  the  well-known  hostility  of  the   English 


302  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Government  to  slavery  and  the  slave-trade,  and  I  think  it  is 
extremely  possible  that  the  emissaries  of  the  Mahdi  were 
persuading  the  people  that  the  pledges  hitherto  given  would 
be  of  no  value,  and  since  the  English  had  taken  possession 
of  Egypt  the  property  in  slaves  would  be  instantly  taken  away 
from  them.  It  is  obvious  that  any  report  of  that  kind  must 
operate  disastrously  on  the  cause  which  General  Gordon  was 
sent  out  to  promote,  and  he,  I  think,  justifiably  took  means 
to  prevent  its  spreading.  It  has  been  assumed  that  this 
Proclamation  legalizes  slave-hunting.  That,  my  Lords,  is 
simply  impossible,  and  circumstances  would  not  require  him 
to  resort  to  an  explanation  of  that  kind.  There  is  a  wide 
distinction  between  domestic  slavery  and  the  slave  trade 
carried  on  by  foreigners  in  the  adjoining  countries.  What,  I 
suppose,  this  Proclamation  refers  to,  is  the  right  of  holding 
slaves,  which  is  a  right  be  it  remembered,  recognized  by 
Egyptian  law ;  and  if  any  one  was  endeavoring  to  put  it  into 
the  minds  of  the  people  of  Khartoum  that  their  rights  would 
be  confiscated  without  notice  and  without  compensation,  this 
Proclamation  would  be  necessary  to  ensure  them  that  they 
would  not  be  disturbed  in  their  rights,  and  that  what  had 
been  legal  before  would  be  legal  still." 

Mr  Gladstone  said  :  "  Any  explanation  I  can  give  on  the 
subject  must  necessarily  be  of  a  conjectural  character.  I 
have  not  the  least  doubt  in  my  own  mind  that  the  key 
to  the  difficulty  lies  in  the  distinction  between  slavery  in  the 
Soudan  and  slavery  generally.  And  hon.  gentlemen  will 
find  very  full,  curious,  and  interesting  material  on  the 
subject  in  a  book  called  General  Gordon  in  the  Soudan,  and 
principally  between  pages  334  and  354,  I  think,  they  will 
find  ample  illustration  of  what  I  now  state.  I  think  it  is 
set  out  among  other  things  by  General  Gordon,  that  seven- 
eighths  of  the  population  of  the  Soudan  are  in  a  state  of 


SLAVERY  AND    GORDON'S  PROCLAMATION.     303 

slavery,  moreover  that  this  state  of  slavery  has  been  made 
the  subject  of  legislative  consideration,  and  I  beheve  hon. 
gentlemen  will  find  details  of  that  consideration  explained 
in  a  despatch  of  Lord  Dufferin  which  is  on  the  table.  That 
state  of  slavery  has  a  term  of  existence  fixed  by  the  Egyptian 
law,  and  until  the  expiration  of  that  term  in  1889  it  is  under 
the  distinct  guarantee  of  that  law.  I  think  that  is  as  much 
as  I  can  say  now.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  book  I  have 
already  referred  to  that  General  Gordon,  with  the  noble 
enthusiasm  of  his  character,  exclaims  in  one  passage : 
'  Would  to  God  by  laying  down  my  life  I  could  put  an  end 
to  the  slave  trade  ; '  and  he  afterwards  shows  how  his  whole 
mind  and  work  were  devoted  to  that  object.  But  the  whole 
of  the  work  I  have  spoken  of  shows  that  slavery  was  so  inter- 
woven with  the  texture  of  life  in  the  Soudan  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  put  an  end  to  it  by  any  summary  proc- 
lamation." 

It  was  felt  by  all  reasonable  people,  that  to  judge,  and 
especially  to  condemn.  General  Gordon  without  knowing 
more,  was  altogether  unjust,  and  by  no  means  an  illustration 
of  holding  the  balance  level.  People  turned  to  his  own 
words  with  great  interest,  and  read  in  the  book  referred  to 
by  Mr.  Gladstone  that  which  gave  some  light  upon  the  sub- 
ject. The  following  extract  is  from  letters  to  his  own  peo- 
ple, published  in  Dr.  Hill's  book  :  — 

"  You  will  think  I  might  do  more.  I  cannot.  Slaves  are, 
to  all  intents  and  purposes,  property  until  their  owners  are 
compensated,  or  till  a  certain  number  of  years  has  elapsed. 
We  cannot  compensate,  but  we  can  decree  their  liberation 
after  a  term  of  years.  Slave-hunting  must  be  put  down ; 
but  when  men  see  that  they  have  no  hold  over  slaves  ac- 
quired after  the  ist  January,  1878,  they  will  not  buy  them. 
At  any  rate,  slaves  acquired  after  that  date  can  run  away, 


304  GENERAL    GORDON. 

and  the  Government  will  not  force  them  to  go  back.  I 
consider  this  will  succeed  (D.V.).  I  feel  that  I  have  been 
most  unjust  to  the  Khedive,  knowing,  as  I  now  do,  the  great 
difficulties  in  abolishing  slavery.  That  the  question  of 
domestic  slavery  is  no  easy  one,  the  debates  on  the  abolition 
of  slavery  in  our  colonies  would  show.  There  it  was  a  ques- 
tion of  colonies  only ;  here  it  is  a  question  of  home  inter- 
ests. You  are,  no  doubt,  better  versed  that  I  am  in  the 
history  of  our  abolition  of  slavery.  Men  possessed  slaves ; 
to  liberate  them  without  compensation  was  ruin  to  the 
owners ;  and  our  people,  feeling  that  to  do  so  would  be 
robbery,  did  compensate  them.  Now,  in  our  case,  England 
dealt  only  with  a  colony.  The  question  did  not  affect  us 
directly,  but  still  she  gave  compensation.  How  different  is 
this  case  !  Here  slavery  abolition  touches  every  one.  How 
can  you  deal  with  it  so  as  to  avoid  a  civil  war  or  a  rising  of 
the  people?  You  must  either  pay  compensation,  or  you 
must  allow  a  term  of  years  in  order  that  slavery  may  die 
out.  Egypt  is  ahead  of  us  if  we  consider  the  state  of  affairs 
as  before  the  Abolition  Act.  ...  I  have  an  enormous  prov- 
ince to  look  after ;  but  it  is  a  great  blessing  to  me  to  know 
that  God  has  undertaken  the  atlministration  of  it ;  and  it  is 
His  work  and  not  mine.  If  I  fail,  it  is  His  will ;  if  I  suc- 
ceed, it  is  His  work.  Certainly  He  has  given  me  the  joy  of 
not  regarding  the  honors  of  this  world,  and  to  value  my 
union  with  Him  above  all  things.  May  I  be  humbled  to  the 
dust  and  fail,  so  that  He  may  glorify  Himself.  The  great- 
ness of  my  position  only  depresses  me,  and  I  cannot  help 
wishing  that  the  time  had  come  when  He  will  lay  me  aside 
and  use  some  other  worm  to  do  His  work.  You  have 
reached  your  happy  eventide.  I  would  that  the  heat  of  my 
life-day  was  over ;  but  He  will  aid  me,  and  not  suffer  me 
again  to  put  down  anchors  to  this  world.  .  .  . 


SLAVERY  AND    GORDON'S  PROCLAMATION.     305 

"  People  think  you  have  only  to  say  the  word  and  slavery 
will  cease.  Now,  here  the  Gallabat  merchants,  I  have  told 
you  of,  have  taken  thirty  of  this  tribe.  I  am  trying  to  search 
them  out,  but  I  dare  not  do  anything  against  these  Gallabats 
on  account  of  my  present  position  with  respect  to  Shaka.  I 
fear  to  raise  these  men  against  me  ;  they  are  well  disposed 
at  present.  Of  course,  I  must  let  time  soften  down  the  ill 
effects  of  what  is  written  against  me  in  the  papers,  on 
account  of  my  purchasing  the  slaves  now  in  possession  of 
individuals  in  order  to  obtain  the  troops  necessary  to  put 
down  slavery.  I  need  troops  —  how  am  I  to  get  them  but 
thus  ?  If  I  do  not  buy  these  slaves,  unless  I  liberate  them 
at  once,  they  still  remain  slaves ;  while,  when  they  are  sol- 
diers, they  are  free  from  that  reproach.  I  cannot  liberate 
them  from  their  owners  without  compensation,  for  fear  of  a 
general  revolt.  I  cannot  compensate  the  owners,  and  then 
let  the  men  go  free,  for  they  would  only  be  a  danger. 
Though  the  slaves  may  not  like  to  be  soldiers,  still  it  is  the 
fate  of  many  in  lands  where  there  is  the  conscription,  and, 
indeed,  it  is  the  only  way  in  which  I  can  break  up  the  bands 
of  armed  men,  which  are  owned  by  private  people  —  slave 
dealers  —  and  get  these  bands  under  discipline. 

"  When  I  have  those  bands  of  which  Sebehr's  son  and 
others  are  the  chiefs,  then  the  slave  dealers  will  have  no 
power  to  make  raids ;  while  at  the  same  time  I  get  troops 
able  to  prevent  any  such  like  attempt.  I  want  you  to  under- 
stand  this,  for   I    doubt   not   people  will   write    and   say : 

1.  Colonel    Gordon    buys     slaves     for    the     Government. 

2.  Colonel  Gordon  lets  the  Gallabats  take  slaves.  To  No. 
I  I  say  :  '  True,  for  I  need  the  purchased  slaves  to  put 
down  the  slave  dealer,  and  to  break  up  their  semi-independ- 
ent bands.'  To  No.  2  I  say:  'True,  for  I  dare  not  stop  it 
to  any  extent,  for  fear  of  adding  to  my  enemies  before  I 


306  GENERAL    GORDON. 

have  broken  up  the  nest  of  slave  dealers  at  Shaka.'  I 
should  be  mad  if  I  did.  We  should  not,  if  at  war  with  Rus- 
sia, choose  that  moment  to  bring  about  any  change  affecting 
the  social  life  of  the  Hindoos.  The  slaves  I  buy  are  already 
torn  from  their  homes ;  and  whether  I  buy  them  or  not, 
they  will,  till  twelve  years  have  elapsed,  remain  slaves.  After 
twelve  years  they  will  be  free,  according  to  the  treaty.  It  is 
not  as  if  I  encouraged  raids  for  the  purpose  of  getting  slaves 
as  soldiers.  But  people  will,  of  course,  say :  '  By  buying 
slaves  you  increase  the  demand,  aiid  indirectly  encourage 
raids.'  I  say  :  '  Yes,  I  should  do  so,  if,  after  buying  them,  I 
still  allowed  the  raids  to  continue,  which,  of  course,  I  shall 
not  do.'  .  .  .  This  slave  question  is  most  troublesome  and 
difficult  to  manage.  A  number  of  slaves  who  were  taken  in 
the  last  raid,  made  near  here  on  tlie  sly  by  the  Gallabats, 
refuse  to  go  back,  for  they  find  they  are  better  fed  with  their 
new  masters  than  they  were  with  their  old.  ...  It  is  a 
queer  country. 

"  The  slaves  came  from  Dara,  and  had  been  captured  and 
sold  to  the  pedlars  by  my  own  officers  and  men.  .  .  .  One 
of  the  Shaka  men  who  is  riding  with  me  tells  me  hundreds 
and  hundreds  die  on  the  road,  and  that  when  they  are  too 
weak  to  go  the  pedlars  shoot  them.  I  believe  this  man  to 
be  quite  truthful.  ...  In  all  previous  emancipations,  either 
there  has  been  a  strong  government  to  enforce  obedience,  or 
a  majority  of  the  nation  wished  it.  Here,  in  this  country, 
there  is  not  one  who  wishes  it,  or  who  would  aid  it  even  by 
advice.  I  know  there  are  many  who  would  willingly  see  the 
sufferings  of  the  slave-gangs  cease,  and  also  the  raids  on 
the  negro  tribes  ;  but  there  they  would  stop.  Besides  this, 
the  tenure  of  slaves  is  the  A  B  C  of  life  here  to  rich  and 
poor ;  no  one  is  uninterested  in  the  matter.  .  .  . 

"These   captures   make   the   total   number  of  captured 


SLAVERY  AND    GORDON'S  PROCLAMATION.      307 

caravans  since  June,  1878,  sixty- three.  I  am  not  good  at 
a  description,  but  you  can  scarcely  conceive  the  misery  and 
suffering  of  these  poor  slaves.  I  heard  at  Khartoum  from 
one  who  came  from  Cairo  that  some  of  the  Consuls-General 
did  not  take  the  least  interest  in  the  suppression  of  the 
slave  trade ;  they  only  moved  in  it  because  their  Govern- 
ment, fearful  of  public  opinion,  obliged  them  to  do  so.  I 
do  not  believe  it ;  no  one  who  has  had  a  mother,  or  sisters, 
or  children,  could  be  callous  to  the  intense  human  suffering 
which  these  poor  wretches  undergo.  All  the  place  is  agog 
to-night,  and  I  expect  parties  will  go  out  to  intercept  those 
en  route ;  and,  I  daresay,  will  quietly  take  for  themselves 
the  slaves  they  may  fancy.  Yet  I  cannot  help  it.  Now  I 
have  been  here  only  two  days,  and  yet  these  two  captures  ! 
I  feel  sure  that  several  caravans  passed  me  en  route  from 
Obeid  to  this  place  ;  but  they  were  warned  off  the  road 
before  I  came  along  it.  What  I  shall  try  to  do  is  to  get  up 
a  subscription  for  ^2000  a  year,  and  get  English  Consuls  at 
Obeid  and  Khartoum,  with  ;^iooo  a  year  each.  What  are 
the  ^i  IS.  which  are  now  given  by  rich  people  to  the  Anti- 
Slavery  Society?  Let  them  give  ^20  a  year;  they  will  not 
feel  it. 

"  If  the  liberation  of  slaves  takes  place  in  1884  (in  Egypt 
proper),  and  the  present  system  of  Government  goes  on, 
there  cannot  fail  to  be  a  revolt  of  the  whole  country  ;  but  our 
Government  will  go  on  sleeping  till  it  comes,  and  then  have 
to  act  a  rimproviste.  If  you  had  read  the  account  of  the 
tremendous  debates  which  took  place  in  1833  on  the 
liberation  of  the  West  Indian  slaves,  even  on  payment  of 
;j^20,ooo,ooo,  you  would  have  some  idea  how  owners  of 
slaves  (even  Christians)  hold  to  their  property.  ...  It  is 
rather  amusing  to  think  that  the  people  of  Cairo  are  quite 
oblivious  that  in  1884  their  revenue  will  fall  to  one-half,  and 


308  GENERAL    GORDON. 

that  the  country  will  need  many  more  troops  to  keep  it  quiet. 
Seven-eighths  of  the  population  of  the  Soudan  are  slaves,  and 
the  loss  of  revenue  in  1889  (the  date  fixed  for  the  liberation 
of  slaves  in  Egypt's  outlying  territories)  will  be  more  than 
two-thirds,  if  it  is  ever  carried  out.  Truly,  in  a  small  way, 
the  Egyptian  problem  is  a  very  thorny  one,  if  you  look  beyond 
your  nose.  The  25,000  black  troops  I  have  here  are  either 
captured  slaves  or  bought  slaves.  How  are  we  to  recruit  if 
the  slave  trade  ceases?  .  .  . 

"  Just  as  I  wrote  this  I  heard  a  very  great  tumult  going  on 
among  the  Arabs,  and  I  feared  a  fight.  However,  it  turned 
out  to  be  caused  by  the  division  of  the  slaves  among  the 
tribes ;  and  now  the  country  is  covered  by  strings  of  slaves 
going  off  in  all  directions  with  their  new  owners.  The 
ostriches  are  running  all  about,  and  do  not  know  what  to 
make  of  their  liberty.  What  a  terrible  time  of  it  these  poor, 
patient  slaves  have  had  for  the  last  three  days  —  hurried  on 
all  sides,  and  forced  first  one  day's  march  in  one  direction, 
then  back  again,  and  then  off  again  in  another.  It  appears 
that  the  slaves  were  not  divided,  but  were  scrambled  for.  It 
is  a  horrid  idea,  for,  of  course,  families  get  separated ;  but  I 
cannot  help  it ;  and  the  slaves  seem  to  be  perfectly  indifferent 
to  anything  whatsoever.  Imagine  what  it  must  be  to  be 
dragged  from  your  home  to  places  so  far  off —  even  farther 
than  Marseilles  or  Rome.  In  their  own  lands  some  of  these 
slaves  have  delightful  abodes,  close  to  running  water,  with 
pleasant  glades  of  trees,  and  seem  so  happy ;  and  then  to  be 
dragged  off  into  these  torrid,  water- forsaken  countries,  where 
to  exist  only  is  a  struggle  against  nature.  .  .  . 

"  The  plan  suggested  in  June  last  to  Earl  Granville  for  the 
appointment  of  Consuls  in  the  Soudan  and  the  Red  Sea  has 
not  yet  been  tried  ;  and  whilst  still  advocating  such  appoint- 
ments, the  Anti-Slavery  Society  would  now  further  propose  a 


SLAVERY  AND    GORDON'S  PROCLAMATION.     309 

complete  registration  of  existing  slaves,  by  which  they  believe 
a  great  check  would  be  placed  upon  the  increase  of  domestic 
slavery  in  Egypt.  Such  a  check  could  not  fail  to  render  slave- 
hunting  less  remunerative  in  the  future. 

"  The  following  mode  of  registration  is  respectfully  sub- 
mitted :  — 

"  I.  Registration  of  all  existing  slaves  in  the  Mudiriehs  of 
the  Soudan  and  of  Cairo  (Lower  Egypt)  by  the  Governors. 

"  2.  Registers  to  be  kept  in  each  government  office  of  the 
names  of  slaves  and  their  owneis,  with  description  of  each. 

"  3.  Every  slave  to  be  free,  if  not  registered,  after  expira- 
tion of  six  months  (the  period  given  for  registration) .  All 
slaves  born  after  signature  of  this  decree  to  be  free. 

"  4.  Register  books  to  be  closed  for  ever  after  the  expira- 
tion of  six  months. 

"5.  Owners  of  slaves  thus  registered  to  be  bound  to  pro- 
duce government  certificates,  corresponding  with  the  register 
books,  when  required  to  do  so  by  the  Government  of  Eg}^t. 

"  6.  The  Governors  of  Eg}'pt  and  of  the  Soudan  to  pro- 
claim this  throughout  the  land. 

"  7.  All  purchases  or  sales  of  slaves  from  family  to  family 
are  to  be  endorsed  on  the  registration  papers,  and  inscribed 
in  the  government  books  of  registry. 

"  Assuming  that  the  Khedive  will  issue  a  decree  adopting 
these  provisions,  it  may  be  justly  asked.  Where  is  the  guar- 
antee that  they  will  be  effectually  enforced?" 

That  General  Gordon  hates  slavery  with  a  hatred  as  intense 
and  earnest  as  that  of  any  Englishman  is  abundantly  proved 
by  these  extracts  and  other  letters  in  his  book  ;  but  at  the 
same  time  he  knows,  what  other  Englishmen  do  not,  the 
exceeding  difficulty  of  the  whole  question.  No  one  need 
fear  to  trust  him  ;  and  those  who  are  acciuainted  with   the 


310  GENERAL    GORDON. 

man,  as  his  whole  Hfe  has  revealed  him,  will  be  quite  ready 
to  do  this  utterly  and  with  every  confidence. 

From  the  time  of  his  departure,  many  could  not  help  feel- 
ing anxious  as  to  his  own  personal  safety.  Nothing  was 
heard  of  him  for  many  weeks  ;  and  the  news  was  often  so  far 
from  being  reassuring,  that  fresh  tidings  were  looked  for  with 
great  concern.  And  for  all  who  are  interested  in  him  there 
was  real  comfort  in  the  thought,  not  only  of  his  greatness 
and  cleverness,  but  also  of  his  goodness.  He  was  not  afraid 
to  die.  He  had  been  so  often  in  circumstances  of  extreme 
danger,  that  he  had  become  inured  to  the  thought  of  death ; 
and  his  faith  in  the  future  life  was  so  strong,  that  he  had  no 
doubt  that  when  death  came  to  him  it  would  be  to  change 
from  weariness  and  care  to  perfect  peace.  He  was  safe, 
living  or  dying,  for  he  was  a  Christian. 

IS  GORDON  SAFE  ? 

"A  message  from  one  who  had  gone  in  haste 

Came  flashing  across  the  sea; 
It  told  not  of  weakness  but  trust  in  God, 

When  it  asked  us, '  Pray  for  nie '; 
And  since,  from  churches  and  English  homes, 

In  the  day  or  the  twilight  dim, 
A  chorus  of  prayers  has  risen  to  God, — 

'Bless  and  take  care  of  him.' 

A  lonely  man  to  these  strange  far  lands 

He  has  gone  with  his  word  of  peace, 
And  a  million  hearts  are  questioning, 

With  a  pain  that  does  not  cease, 
'Is  Gordon  safe?    Is  there  news  of  him? 

What  will  the  tidings  be?' 
There  is  little  to  do  but  trust  and  wait, 

Yet,  utterly  safe  is  he  ! 


SLAVERY  AND    GORDON'S  PROCLAMATION     311 

Was  he  not  safe  when  the  Tai-ping  shots 

Were  flying  about  his  head? 
When  troubles  thickened  with  every  day, 

And  he  was  hard  bestead? 
Was  he  not  safe  in  his  weary  rides 

Over  the  desert  sands? 
Safe  with  the  Abyssinian  king? 

Safe  with  the  robber  bands? 

We  know  not  the  dangers  around  him  now, 

But  this  we  truly  know  : 
He  has  with  him  still  in  his  time  of  need 

His  Protector  of  long  ago; 
An  unseen  shield  is  above  his  head, 

And  a  strong  arm  comes  between 
The  strong,  brave  heart  that  rests  in  God, 

And  the  death  that  might  have  been. 

He  is  not  alone,  since  a  Friend  is  by. 

Who  answers  to  every  need : 
God  is  his  refuge  and  strength  at  hand, 

Gordon  is  safe  indeed  ! 
He  trusts  in  the  mercy  of  God  for  all. 

And  finds  it  a  rock  to  last; 
And  back  to  us  now  come  the  ringing  words 

He  spoke  in  years  gone  past : 

'  I  am  a  chisel  that  does  the  work. 

The  Master  directs  above. 
Ever  the  Gospel  must  be  good  news, 

Kind  is  the  God  I  love. 
His  salvation  is  full  and  free, 

He  will  never  cast  us  out; 
I  may  say  I  have  died  a  hundred  times, 

But  I  never  yet  had  a  doubt.' 

It  is  true  he  may  pass  from  the  far  Soudan 

To  rest,  and  reward,  and  Heaven ; 
But  he  is  not  less  safe  because  from  thence 

His  freedom  may  be  given. 


312  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Safe  in  living,  in  dying  safe, 

Where  is  the  need  of  pain? 
God  give  the  hero  long  life  —  but  death 

Will  be  inlinite  joy  and  gain." 

These  verses,  written  by  Marianne  Farningham,  and 
taken  from  the  Christian  World,  which  has  always  exhibited 
a  generous  appreciation  of  General  Gordon's  career,  express 
the  feelings  of  many  people  concerning  the  hero  of  the 
Soudan.  Even  in  danger  he  is  safe.  If  he  could  send  a 
message  home,  it  would  no  doubt  be  much  as  that  which  he 
once  sent  before  :  — 

"  Now  you  must  not  be  surprised  at  anything  happening 
to  me.  Supposing  we  subdue  Sebehr's  son,  and  he  happens 
to  be  killed,  some  of  his  people  may  avenge  themselves  on 
me.  This  is  not  improbable.  You  must  screw  yourself  up 
to  bear  it,  and  will  remember  that  a  quick  departure  is 
better  than  a  long  and  lingering  one,  and,  also,  that  I  did 
not  seek  the  position  here.  If  it  is  so  decided,  depend 
upon  it,  it  is  because  my  work  is  finished  upon  this  earth." 

But  ihe  fact  of  his  stay  among  them  is  sure  to  make  it  so 
much  the  better  for  the  Soudan.  His  previous  sojourn 
among  the  tribes  had  made  him  capable  of  judging  what 
was  best  for  the  Soudanese  ;  and  his  determination  to  be 
JUST  ALL  ROUND  rendered  him  an  able  administrator  of  their 
affairs.  His  wish  was,  as  we  know,  to  establish  matters 
upon  a  firm  basis,  and  then  to  leave  the  Soudanese  to 
manage  the  country  for  themselves,  as  certainly,  if  they 
show  themselves  capable,  they  have  the  right  to  do.  We 
can  only  hope  that,  as  the  result  of  his  labors,  great  bless- 
ings may  follow,  especially  that  of  the  abolition  of  slavery  in 
the  land  of  the  Blacks. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE   YEAR   IN   KHARTOUM. 

"  Right  is  he,  who  loving  duty, 
Bravely  does  his  best; 
Safe  is  he,  who  in  God's  keeping 
Finds  his  work  or  rest." 

ENGLAND  is  a  very  busy  nation  ;  so  busy  that  she  only 
gives  a  little  time  and  a  passing  thought  to  her  great- 
est heroes.  The  excitement  caused  by  the  departure  of 
General  Gordon,  and  the  subsequent  reception  of  his  proc- 
lamation, soon  died  away,  and  the  interest  which  had  been 
at  fever  heat  calmed  down  into  quiet  waiting.  But  when- 
ever the  newspapers  announced  "  News  from  Gordon,"  it 
sprung  up  again ;  and  throughout  the  year,  so  full  of  intense 
anxiety  to  the  solitary  hero  of  the  Soudan,  every  word 
despatched  from  him  was  eagerly  read  by  the  British  hearts 
that  followed  his  movements  with  so  much  admiration  and 
sympathy. 

It  was  on  the  i8th  February,  1884,  that  General  Gordon 
arrived  at  Khartoum.  As  if  he  had  foreseen  the  weary  wait- 
ing that  was  to  follow,  both  for  him  and  for  us,  he  sent 
home  the  significant  message,  "  No  Panic."  We  have 
already  described  the  welcome  accorded  to  him  in  Khar- 
toum, and  the  General's  wise  efforts  to  inspire  confidence 


314  GENERAL    GORDON. 

by  liberating  all  prisoners,  burning  all  records  of  debts,  and 
remitting  taxation.  One  of  his  first  telegrams  recommended 
the  Government  to  give  Zebehr  a  commission,  and  stated 
his  beUef  that  '•  to  withdraw  ^-ithout  being  able  to  place  a 
successor  in  his  seat  would  be  the  signal  for  general  anarchy 
throughout  the  countr}-,  which,  though  all  Eg}"ptian  elements 
were  withdrawn,  would  be  a  misfortime  and  inhumanity." 

In  another  telegram  he  said :  "  If  Eg)"pt  is  to  be  quiet, 
Mahdi  must  be  smashed  up.  I  repeat  that  evacuation  is 
possible,  but  you  will  feel  effect  in  Egj-pt,  and  will  be  forced 
to  enter  into  a  far  more  serious  affair  in  order  to  guard 
Egj'pt.  At  present  it  would  be  comparatively  easy  to 
destroy  Mahdi." 

General  Gordon's  first  duty  Avas  to  create  a  stable  govern- 
ment in  the  Soudan,  and  in  order  to  do  this  he  strongly 
m"ged  the  British  to  allow  him  to  secure  Zebehr  as  a  coadju- 
tor ;  but  this  request  being  peremptorily  refused,  he  could 
only  attempt  that  which  was  possible.  Very  cleverly  did  he 
send  out  of  the  fortress,  and  despatch  safely  to  Eg}-pt,  the 
women  and  children  —  more  than  two  thousand  in  all  — 
whom  he  found  there.  Sir  Evehu  Baring  stated  that  there 
were  15,000  persons  in  Khartoum  who  ought  to  be  brought 
back  to  EgA-pt  —  Europeans,  ci\-il  servants,  widows  and 
orphans,  and  a  garrison  of  a  thousand  men,  one-third  of 
whom  were  disaffected.  To  get  these  people  out  was  Gen- 
eral Gordon's  first  duty. 

The  resident  population  is  generally  estimated  at  from 
50,000  to  55,000  souls,  of  which  two-thirds  are  slaves. 
There  is  also  a  floating  population  estimated  at  from  1500 
to  2000  souls,  and  consisting  of  Europeans,  Syrians,  Copts, 
Turks,  Albanians,  and  a  few  Jews.  The  free  resident  popu- 
lation are  mostly  Makhass  or  Aborigines,  Dongolawees  from 
Dongola,  Shaghives  from  a  district  along  the  Nile  north  of 


THE    YEAR  IX  KHARTOUM.  315 

Khartoum,  and  Rubatat,  a  district  north  of  Berber.  The 
slaves  belong  mostly  to  the  Nuba,  Dinka,  Shulook,  Berta, 
and  other  negro  tribes.  Both  the  free  population  and  the 
slaves  are  all  Mohammedans  of  the  Maliki  school  of  divinit}'-, 
and  are  also  followers  of  either  the  Rufai,  Kadri,  Hamdi,  or 
Saadi  sect  of  der\"ishes.  They  are  very  superstitious.  Their 
political  creed  is  to  side  with  whichever  side  is  the  strongest. 

The  following  description  of  the  to^\-n,  given  in  the  ofificial 
"  Report  on  the  Egyptian  ProWnces,"  and  published  by 
authority,  will  enable  the  reader  to  form  an  idea  of  the  place 
in  which  Gordon  was  to  spend  the  j-ear  :  — 

"  Khartoum  is  situated  near  the  confluence  of  the  Blue 
and  White  Niles,  at  a  height  of  1450  feet  above  the  sea.  It 
lies  chiefly  along  the  left  bank  of  the  Blue  river,  from  which, 
however,  it  is  partially  separated  by  gardens,  and  is  also  so 
near  the  White  Nile  that  the  inundations  of  the  latter  fre- 
quently reach  the  earthen  wall  by  which  the  place  is  sur- 
rounded. The  towTi,  as  approached  from  the  White  river, 
presents  a  mass  of  dirty  gray  houses,  over-topped  by  a  single 
minaret,  and  in  front  lies  a  sterile  sandy  plain  mthout  trees 
or  bushes.  It  is  entered  by  a  long,  narrow  street,  stretching 
from  west  to  east,  and  terminating  in  the  market.  This 
street  is  dirty  in  the  extreme,  and  bordered  by  mud  houses, 
whose  doors  are  their  only  openings  to  the  street.  In  other 
parts  of  the  town  there  is  no  semblance  of  regularit}' ;  the 
houses  are  of  all  sizes  and  shapes,  and  the  streets  mere  laby- 
rinths. Here  and  there  are  open  spaces  large  enough  for 
gardens,  and  even  for  corn-fields. 

"  There  are  also  numerous  hollow  flats,  in  which,  during 
the  rainy  season,  water  collects  and  stagnates,  rendering  the 
place  very  unhealthy.  The  street  above  mentioned  is  the 
best  in  Khartoum  ;  it  contains  the  Governor's  residence  and 
offices,  and  many  spacious  mansions  belonging  to  Turks, 


316  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Copts,  and  Arabs.  All  the  other  houses  are  of  a  miserable 
description,  consisting  of  sun-dried  clay,  cemented  with 
cow-dung  and  slime.  In  the  market-place  is  the  mosque, 
built  of  brick,  and  here  also  are  the  bazaar,  coffee-houses, 
brandy-shops,  etc.  In  addition  to  the  buildings  already 
mentioned,  there  is  a  Coptic  and  a  Roman  Catholic  chapel, 
a  Roman  Catholic  school,  an  infirmary,  a  jail,  and  bar- 
racks. 

"  The  gardens  along  the  Blue  Nile  produce  vegetables  and 
fruits  in  great  variety.  The  date  palm  here  reaches  its  most 
southern  limit,  and  ceases  to  fully  ripen  its  fruit,  though  as  a 
tree  it  still  grows  vigorously. 

"  There  is  much  land  for  cultivation  along  the  borders  of 
the  Blue  Nile,  but  the  tax  on  the  water-wheels  and  the  con- 
tributions levied  on  the  produce  cause  the  Arabs  to  limit 
their  agriculture  to  their  bare  necessities." 

It  was  on  the  24th  of  March  that  the  British  expeditionary 
force  landed  at  Trinkitat.  That  affairs  were  serious  in 
Khartoum  was  seen  by  the  following  proclamation  issued  by 
General  Gordon  to  the  Soudanese  on  26th  February :  — 

"  From  the  date  of  my  arrival  until  now  I  have  given  you 
sound  advice,  and  everything  has  been  done  to  ensure  tran- 
quillity and  put  a  stop  to  bloodshed.  My  advice  has  not 
been  listened  to,  and  I  am  therefore  forced  against  my  will 
to  send  for  British  troops,  who  are  now  on  the  road,  and 
will  arrive  in  a  few  days.  I  shall  severely  punish  all  who 
will  not  change  their  conduct.  You  know  well  that  I  am 
not  ignorant  of  anything  that  is  going  on,  and  I  write  this 
that  you  may  know  my  resolution." 

News  also  came  that  General  Gordon  had  sent  Colonel 
Stewart  up  the  White  Nile  to  punish  the  marauding  tribes, 
who  had  become  exceedingly  troublesome ;  but  nothing  was 
known  as  to  the  force  with  which  Colonel  Stewart  was  to 
carry  out  his  mission. 


THE    YEAR  IN  KHARTOUM.  317 

After  this  scrap  of  information  came  the  news  of  General 
Graham's  victory,  and  the  rout  of  Osman  Digna's  army  at 
Tamanieb ;  and  then  the  troops  were  recalled  to  Suakim. 

On  the  1 2th  of  March  Gordon,  feeling  that  he  had  only 
two  alternatives,  as  he  might  not  have  his  wish  granted  in 
regard  to  Zebehr,  and  that  he  must  either  surrender  abso- 
lutely to  the  Mahdi  or  strengthen  his  position  at  Khartoum, 
was  doing  his  best  in  the  latter  direction,  when  4000  rebels 
marched  to  the  Nile  and  cut  off  800  of  his  men  who  were  at 
a  village  called  Halfaya,  to  the  north  of  Khartoum.  In  con- 
sequence of  this,  General  Gordon  sent  down  a  steamer  to 
reconnoitre.  The  moment  the  vessel  came  within  range  of 
the  enemy  a  volley  was  fired  into  her,  and  an  officer  and  a 
soldier  were  wounded  ;  but  Gordon  resolved  to  extricate  the 
little  garrison  if  possible.  It  proved  possible,  though  very 
difficult.  Three  companies  of  Gordon's  troops  had  gone 
out  to  cut  wood,  when  the  enemy  came  upon  them,  cut  them 
off  from  the  main  body,  captured  eight  of  their  boats,  and 
killed  or  wounded  nearly  150.  The  Halfaya  garrison  could 
not  retreat,  for  the  rebels  covered  the  river  and  kept  up  a 
heavy  fire.  But  Gordon  was  determined  on  rescuing  them. 
Two  grain  barges,  with  1 200  men  on  board,  were  towed  by 
three  steamers,  defended  with  boiler  plates,  and  carrying 
mountain  guns  protected  by  wooden  mantlets,  and  by  means 
of  these,  with  the  loss  of  only  two  men  killed,  Gordon's  force 
contrived  to  extricate  the  remaining  500  men  and  bring 
them  into  Khartoum.  They  brought  also  from  Halfaya  sev- 
enty camels  and  eighteen  horses. 

But  although  this  was  so  far  a  success,  yet  as  the  rebels 
held  Halfaya,  General  Gordon  on  the  i6th  of  March  re- 
solved upon  making  an  effort  to  drive  them  away.  He 
marched  out  of  Khartoum  at  the  head  of  2000  irregular 
troops  —  very  irregular  indeed,  probably  a  mixed  multitude 


318  GENERAL    GORDON. 

of  Soudanese  and  Nubians,  out  of  whom  the  courageous 
General  hoped  to  make  good  soldiers.  They  advanced 
across  the  open  in  square,  supported  by  the  fire  of  the  guns 
of  two  steamers.  The  Mahdi's  forces  came  out  on  the  other 
side  to  give  him  battle.  At  first  it  seemed  that  Gordon  was 
to  be  victorious,  but  the  treachery  from  which  his  greatest 
sufferings  have  resulted  was  at  work  to  prevent  this.  The 
rebels  were  actually  retreating  when  Gordon's  two  native 
generals,  Hassan  and  Seyid  Pashas,  rode  into  the  wood  and 
called  the  enemy  back.  The  Egyptians,  finding  themselves 
thus  betrayed  by  their  own  officers,  broke  and  retreated  in 
great  confusion,  leaving  their  ammunition  and  two  mountain 
guns  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  They  managed  to  carry 
off  some  of  their  wounded,  but  left  two  hundred  on  the  field. 

When  they  had  got  safely  back  to  Khartoum  one  of  the 
first  things  the  Governer  did  was  to  have  a  court-martial 
held  in  order  to  try  Hassan  Pasha  and  Seyid  Pasha  for 
treachery  in  the  face  of  the  enemy.  Seyid  had  only  been  a 
Bey  until  Gordon  promoted  him.  Both  men  were  found 
guilty  upon  the  clearest  evidence,  and  Gordon  sentenced 
them  to  be  shot.  Later  on  he  sent  a  telegram  announcing 
what  he  had  done,  and  conveying  a  reminder  —  that  was,  a 
warning  —  to  the  effect  that  the  forces,  whom  he  seems  even 
then  to  have  expected  to  come  to  his  aid,  should  keep  in 
mind  the  fact  that  his  guns  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy  made 
them  additionally  dangerous. 

In  a  despatch  received  at  Cairo  on  the  31st  of  March,  the 
General  intimated  that  notwithstanding  the  defeat  he  had 
suffered  things  were  not  altogether  dark  and  hopeless  at 
Khartoum.  Supplies  were  coming  in  from  the  White  Nile, 
while  the  rebels  at  Halfaya  were  in  want  of  food  and  appre- 
hending a  famine. 

The  enemy,  however,  was  exceedingly  troublesome,  and 


THE    YEAR  IN  KHARTOUM.  319 

made  it  difficult  for  the  supplies  to  arrive  in  safety.  A 
steamer  coming  up  from  Berber  was  attacked  with  great  de- 
termination ;  but  Gordon's  men  behaved  resolutely,  no  less 
than  15,000  rounds  of  ammunition  being  fired  amongst  the 
enemy,  who  suffered  considerable  loss,  and  had  to  retire. 

In  the  meantime  efforts  were  made  on  both  sides  to 
effect  a  negotiation.  General  Gordon  sent  to  the  Mahdi  a 
message  to  the  following  effect :  "  I  will  make  you  Sultan  of 
Kordofan."  "  I  am  the  Mahdi,"  was  the  only  answer 
vouchsafed  in  return.  • 

The  Mahdi  then  sent  Gordon  a  letter,  in  which  he 
advised  him  to  embrace  the  Mohammedan  faith.  He  added 
that  the  European  prisoners  in  Obeid  were  kindly  treated 
and  well  cared  for.  The  letter  was  rather  friendly  than 
otherwise ;  but  the  emissaries  were  insolent.  In  the  Gov- 
ernor's presence  they  kept  their  drawn  swords  in  their 
hands,  and  spread  a  filthy  patched  dervish's  coat  before  him. 

"  Will  you  become  a  Mussulman?  "  they  asked. 

"  No  !  "  shouted  Gordon,  flinging  the  coat  across  the 
room. 

He  then  cancelled  the  offer  he  had  made  to  the  Mahdi, 
and  from  henceforth  there  was  no  hope  of  negotiation. 

No  day  passed  afterwards  without  some  shots  being  fired 
into  Khartoum  from  the  Mahdi's  forces  outside. 

The  town  being  invested,  General  Gordon  set  to  work  to 
defend  it.  There  were  10,000  men  who  sympathized  with 
the  Mahdi  within  the  walls,  and  these  were  allowed  to  go 
outside  and  join  the  enemy.  Gordon's  steamers  kept  up  a 
brisk  skirmish  on  both  the  Niles.  All  the  houses  on  the 
north  side  were  loop-holed,  and  those  on  the  northern  bend 
of  the  Blue  Nile  were  fortified  and  garrisoned  by  Bashi- 
Bazouks.  A  i6-pounder  Krupp  gun  was  mounted  on  a 
barge,  and  blockading  wires  were  stretched  across  the  river. 


320  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Omdurman,  a  village  on  the  west,  was  held  and  fortified, 
and  the  same  was  done  with  Bun  on  the  east. 

During  the  last  week  of  March  various  items  of  news 
were  forwarded  from  Gordon  to  Cairo.  A  steamer  had 
been  sent  down  to  shell  the  enemy  at  Halfaya,  but  the 
shells  fell  short.  Another  steamer  was  sent  up  the  Nile 
with  a  Krupp  gun,  which  rendered  better  service.  On 
the  25  th  of  March  two  hundred  and  fifty  irregulars  were 
ordered  by  Gordon  to  attack  some  villages  on  the  opposite 
bank  of  the  river.  They  refused  to  obey,  and  Gordon  at 
once  commanded  them  to  lay  down  their  arms.  On  the 
following  day  several  of  his  steamers  shelled  the  rebel  camp 
on  the  Blue  Nile,  and  did  some  damage  to  the  enemy.  On 
the  twenty-seventh  the  rebels  came  up  close  to  Khartoum 
and  maintained  an  attack  for  several  hours,  the  Krupp  gun 
replying.  On  the  thirtieth  the  outlying  enemy  was  attacked 
by  some  of  Gordon's  irregulars,  who,  however,  had  to  flee 
back  into  Khartoum.  All  the  night  of  the  thirty-first  the 
rebels  kept  up  an  incessant  fire  on  the  town.  Gordon  gave 
it  as  his  opinion  that  the  rebels  had  only  one  gun  left,  the 
other  gun  having  been  spiked,  and  two  rounds  of  ammuni- 
tion. He  spoke  hopefully  of  his  power  to  hold  out ;  and  it 
was  felt  at  Cairo  that  if  only  the  garrison  remained  faithful 
to  him,  he  would  be  aljle  to  do  so.  But  no  one  could  know 
but  himself  the  difificulty  there  was  in  keeping  tliose  around 
him  contented  and  true  to  the  tasks  imposed  upon  them. 

A  post-card  was  received  at  Berlin  from  General  Gordon, 
dated  "  Khartoum,  March  the  7th,"  from  which  the  Nord 
Deutsche  published  the  following  extract :  "  I  doubt  not  that 
the  King  of  Abyssinia  will  receive  Sula,  Bogos,  and  some 
other  districts,  but  it  is  no  longer  in  our  power  to  give  him 
Galabat,  which  is  already  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels.  The 
king  should  be  satisfied  with  this    indemnification,   which, 


THE    YEAR  IN  KHARTOUM.  321 

however,  I  doubt."  In  the  same  missive,  moreover,  the 
General  speaks  of  the  difficulties  of  the  slave  question,  but 
some  of  the  words  are  so  illegible  that  it  is  impossible  to 
make  out  the  meaning  of  the  passage. 

During  April,  a  false  report  was  circulated  to  the  effect 
that  Khartoum  had  fallen,  and  that  General  Gordon  was 
captured.  But  a  few  days  later  a  letter  was  received  from 
himself,  stating  that  the  Fagallah  tribes  had  twice  defeated 
the  Mahdi.  That  he  was  greatly  disheartened,  and  knew 
himself  to  be  in  the  midst  of  danger,  no  one  doubted,  but 
that  he  had  also  some  things  to  encourage  him  was  made 
clear  by  a  telegram  from  Mr.  Power  to  the  Times,  which,  to 
the  intense  relief  of  the  English  nation,  was  published  early 
in  April.  Among  other  things,  it  stated  that  a  number  of 
prisoners  taken  by  the  Arabs  were  being  sent  with  a  gun 
and  ammunition  as  trophies  to  the  Mahdi  at  El  Obeid, 
when  they  attacked  their  escort,  broke  the  elevating  screw 
of  the  gun,  and  made  their  way  back  to  Khartoum.  Again, 
a  young  man  of  rank,  who  had  been  landed  from  a  steamer 
by  one  of  the  traitorous  Pashas  —  who  was  sent  with  him  to 
effect  the  rescue  of  the  lad's  family,  threatened  at  that  time 
by  the  foe  —  and  was  then  basely  deserted,  had  rejoined  the 
General's  forces,  and  brought  the  fullest  confirmation  of  the 
treachery  for  which  the  Pashas  were  executed.  The  number 
of  Arabs  fighting  against  General  Gordon  was  then  estimated 
at  about  4000  foot  and  100  cavalry. 

But  on  the  5  th  of  May  a  Blue  Book  was  issued,  from 
which  it  was  seen  that  General  Gordon  had  on  the  i6th  of 
April  telegraphed  the  following  significant  words  to  Sir  E, 
Baring  :  "  As  far  as  I  can  understand,  the  situation  is  this  :^ 
You  state  your  intention  of  not  sending  any  relief  up  here  or 
to  Berber,  and  you  refuse  me  Zebehr.  I  consider  myself 
free  to  act  according  to  circumstances.     I  shall  hold  on  here 


322  GENERAL   GORDON. 

as  long  as  I  can,  and  if  I  can  suppress  the  rebellion,  I  shall 
do  so.  If  I  cannot,  I  shall  retire  to  the  Equator,  and  leave 
you  the  indelible  disgrace  of  abandoning  the  garrisons  of 
Senaar,  Kassala,  Berber,  and  Dongola,  with  the  certainty  that 
you  will  eventually  be  forced  to  smash  up  the  Mahdi  under 
great  difficulties,  if  you  would  retain  peace  in  Egypt." 

Colonel  Stewart  and  Mr.  Power  telegraphed  that  they 
would  remain  and  follow  the  fortunes  of  General  Gordon  to 
the  end.  Evidently  the  General  felt  that  he  had  been  for- 
saken by  the  English  Government.  He  sent  a  telegram  to 
Sir  Samuel  Baker,  asking  that,  as  he  was  abandoned  by  the 
Government,  an  appeal  might  be  made  to  the  millionnaires 
of  England  and  America  to  equip  a  Turkish  battalion  to 
march  to  Berber.  Many  of  the  English  people,  and  almost 
the  entire  press,  were  greatly  indignant  at  the  attitude  of 
the  British  authorities,  who  persisted  in  declaring  that  Gor- 
don was  in  no  danger.  Nearly  every  one  except  those 
authorities  believed  his  danger  to  be  most  imminent.  In 
both  Houses  of  Parliament  questions  in  reference  to  the 
General's  safety  were  repeatedly  asked  ;  but  they  were,  as  a 
rule,  treated  very  lightly.  Lord  Granville  declared  that  if 
General  Gordon  felt  himself  abandoned,  it  was  because  he 
had  not  received  the  Government  telegrams.  Mr.  Glad- 
stone said  that  the  General  was  at  liberty  to  leave  Khartoum 
if  he  pleased  :  an  assertion  which  the  foreign  press  ridiculed 
most  derisively.  In  the  Standard,  the  following  telegram 
from  Cairo  appeared  on  the  2 2d  of  April:  "General  Gor- 
don has  telegraphed  to  Sir  Evelyn  Baring  expressing  the 
utmost  indignation  at  the  manner  in  which  he  has  been 
abandoned  by  the  English  Government,  and  stating  his 
resolution  henceforth  to  cut  himself  entirely  adrift  from  those 
who  have  deserted  him,  on  whom  will  rest  the  bloodguilti- 
ness  for  all  lives  hereafter  lost  in  the  Soudan." 


THE    YEAR  IN  KHARTOUM.  323 

At  this  time  private  enterprise  was  busy.  A  lady  wrote 
to  the  Times  offering  ;^50oo  as  the  nucleus  of  a  sum  to  be 
contributed  voluntarily  by  the  nation ;  and  it  was  sought 
to  enrol  a  band  of  two  hundred  volunteers  to  go  out  and 
rescue  the  brave  man  and  his  two  companions  who  had 
evidently  been  left  to  shift  for  themselves.  The  entire 
news  from  Egypt  was  gloomy  in  the  extreme.  It  included 
a  massacre  of  some  three  hundred  refugees  from  Shendy,  a 
military  post  midway  between  Berber  and  Khartoum,  while 
endeavoring  to  escape  in  a  steamer  down  the  Nile  to  Ber- 
ber. The  governor  of  that  place,  when  telegraphing  the 
news  to  Cairo,  asked  if  reinforcements  were  coming,  as 
otherwise  there  was  no  course  open  to  him  but  to  make  the 
best  terms  possible  with  the  Mahdi,  whose  troops  were 
investing  the  place.  Later  telegrams  from  the  same  quarter 
stated  that  the  Arabs  were  occupying  the  desert  route  from 
Abu  Hamed  to  Korosko,  which  separates  the  two  points  on 
the  Nile  where  navigation  to  the  north  and  to  the  south 
commences,  so  that  it  was  most  probable  the  telegraph  line 
connecting  Berber  with  Cairo  would  be  cut. 

The  popular  feeling  found  some  vent  in  a  meeting  which 
on  the  8th  of  May  was  held  by  the  Patriotic  Association  in 
St.  James's  Hall,  London.  The  Earl  of  Cadogan  presided  ; 
and  the  following  resolution  was  moved  by  Mr.  Chaplin,  M.P., 
and  seconded  by  the  Earl  of  Dunraven  :  "  That  this  meeting 
condemns  the  abandonment  of  General  Gordon  by  Her 
Majesty's  Ministers  as  dishonorable  to  them,  and  discredita- 
ble to  the  country."  It  was  declared  both  at  that  meeting 
and  at  others  that  the  officials  who  had  sent  Gordon  out  had 
told  him  to  use  his  own  judgment,  and  had  given  him  to 
understand  that  he  would  be  supported  and  his  wishes 
carried  out.  But  he  had  asked  for  money,  and  it  had  not 
been  sent ;  had  asked  for  Zebehr,  and  had  been  refused ; 


324  GENERAL    GORDON. 

had  prayed  for  troops,  and  been  informed  that  they  were  not 
forthcoming. 

Still  the  Government  persisted  in  declaring  that  Gordon 
was  in  no  danger ;  adding  that  they  had  taken  the  responsi- 
bility of  his  safety  upon  themselves,  and  that  as  they  were 
better  informed  than  other  people,  they  would  move  in  the 
matter  when  it  became  necessary.  There  was  an  attempt  to 
pass  a  vote  of  censure,  which  was  only  lost  by  twenty-eight. 
But  the  next  news  was,  that  an  order  had  been  sent  to  the 
British  military  authorities  at  Cairo  to  prepare  for  the 
despatch  in  October  of  an  expeditionary  force  for  the  relief 
of  the  General.  Immediately  after  the  following  telegrams 
appeared  in  the  papers  :  — 

"  Further  news  has  been  received  from  Khartoum.  It  is 
stated  that  the  authorities  there  have  a  stock  of  maize  suffi- 
cient to  last  for  eighteen  months,  but  that  other  provisions 
are  short. 

"  Four  men  have  been  shot  by  General  Gordon  for 
treachery. 

"  Advices  from  the  same  source  state  that  the  country 
appears  quiet  between  Wady  Haifa  and  Berber. 

"  General  Gordon  has  stated  to  Greek  merchants  that  he 
expected  English  troops,  and  that,  therefore,  they  need  not 
leave  the  town,  as  they  were  quite  safe.  He  has  appointed 
a  Greek  Sub-Governor  of  Khartoum. 

"The  Governor  of  Dongola  telegraphs  that  the  whole 
country  south  of  Debbah  —  a  place  which  is  close  to  Dongola 
—  is  in  open  revolt. 

"There  are  no  further  hopes  of  communicating  with 
either  Berber  or  Khartoum.  Nevertheless,  only  a  few  days 
since  a  Greek  trader  arrived  at  Cairo,  having  left  Khartoum 
on  the  day  after  date  of  General  Gordon's  last  message. 

" Ihe  belief  here  is  that  General  Gordon  could  even  now 


THE    YEAR  IN  KHARTOUM.  325 

effect  an  escape,  if  he  could  be  prevailed  upon  to  attempt  it 
alone.  But  it  is  evidently  impossible  to  bring  out  even  a 
small  force  with  him." 

General  Gordon  would  certainly  not  escape  alone,  but 
would  be  faithful  to  those  who  had  stood  by  him.  There 
followed  an  interval  of  little  or  no  news  until  a  telegram 
from  Mr.  Power,  sent  to  the  Times,  relieved  the  anxiety  of 
the  nation.  In  the  meanwhile,  the  following  diary  had  been 
kept  by  Mr,  Power,  and  it  is  probably  the  best  and  most 
reliable  account  we  shall  ever  have  of  the  life  in  the  besieged 
town  from  23d  March  to  31st  July.  Since  that  date  there 
has  been  no  record  of  events  from  within  the  city  :  — 

'■^  March  23.  —  Hassan  and  Seyid  Pashas  were  put  to 
death  for  treachery  in  the  battle  of  the  sixteenth,  in  which 
we  lost  350  killed  and  wounded. 

"  April  16,  17,  18,  19,  and  20.  —  Attacks  by  rebels  on  the 
Palace  from  the  villages  opposite.  Fearful  loss  of  life  to  the 
Arabs  from  mines  put  down  by  General  Gordon. 

"  April  21.  —  We  heard  of  the  surrender  of  Saleh  Bey  at 
Mesalimieh  to  the  rebels  with  fifty  shiploads  of  food,  seventy 
boxes  of  cartridges,  2020  rifles,  and  a  steamer. 

"  May  I. — The  officer  commanding  engineers  having  put 
down  a  mine  of  78  lbs.  of  powder,  trod  on  it,  and  with  six 
soldiers  was  blown  to  pieces. 

'■'■May  3.  —  A  man  reported  an  English  army  at  Berber. 

'■'■May  6.  —  Heavy  attack  from  the  Arabs  at  the  Blue  Nile 
end  of  the  works  ;  great  loss  of  lives  from  mines  we  had  placed 
at  Buri. 

"■May  7.  —  Great  attack  from  a  village  opposite;  nine 
mines  were  exploded  there,  and  we  afterwards  heard  that 
they  killed  115  rebels.  The  Arabs  kept  up  a  fire  all  day. 
Colonel  Stewart,  with  two  splendidly-directed  shots  from  a 
Krupp  20-pounder  at  the  Palace,  drove  them  out  of  their 


326  GENERAL    GORDON. 

principal  position.  During  the  night  the  Arabs  loop-holed 
the  walls,  but  on  the  ninth  we  drove  them  out.  They  had 
held  the  place  for  three  days. 

"■May  25. —  Colonel  Stewart,  while  working  a  mitrailleuse 
at  the  Palace,  was  wounded  by  the  rebel  fire,  but  he  is  now 
quite  well. 

'^  May  2(d.  —  During  an  expedition  up  the  White  Nile, 
Saati  Bey  put  a  shell  into  an  Arab  magazine.  There  was  a 
great  explosion,  sixty  shells  going  off. 

"  During  May  and  June,  steamer  expeditions  were  made 
daily  under  Saati  Bey.  Our  loss  was  slight,  and  much  cattle 
were  captured. 

"■Jime  25.  —  Mr.  Cuzzi,  English  Consul  at  Berber,  who  is 
with  the  rebels,  came  to  our  lines  and  told  us  of  the  fall  of 
Berber.     Mr.  Cuzzi  has  been  sent  to  Kordofan. 

"■June  30.  —  Saati  Bey  captured  forty  ardebs  of  corn  from 
the  rebels,  and  killed  200  of  them. 

"July  10.  —  Saati  Bey  having  burnt  Kalaka  and  three  vil- 
lages, attacked  Gatarneb,  but  three  of  his  officers  were  killed. 
Colonel  Stewart  had  a  narrow  escape.     Saati's  loss  is  serious. 

"July  29.  —  We  beat  the  rebels  out  of  Buri,  on  the  Blue 
Nile,  killing  numbers  of  them  and  capturing  ammunition  and 
eighty  rifles.  The  steamers  advanced  to  El  Efan,  clearing 
thirteen  rebel  forts  and  breaking  two  cannon.  Since  the  siege 
began  our  loss  has  been  under  700  killed." 

General  Gordon  was  blamed  by  many  parties  for  engaging 
in  so  many  fights,  but  they  were  all  purely  defensive.  He  did 
but  try  to  clear  the  road  of  the  attacking  force,  which  would 
have  been  easily  done  if  he  had  possessed  a  single  reliable 
regiment ;  but  he  did  not,  and  since  the  middle  of  April  the 
rebels  had  attacked  the  city  in  ever-increasing  force.  He 
was  utterly  cut  off  from  the  outside  world,  and  compelled  to 
rely  wholly  upon  his  own  resources.     Negroes  were  sent  out 


THE    YEAR  IN  KHARTOUM.  327 

to  entice  the  slaves  of  the  rebels  to  come  over,  promising 
them  freedom  and  rations.  This  he  thought  would  frighten 
the  rebels  more  than  bullets  ;  it  would  be  the  beginning  of 
the  end  of  slavery  there,  and  the  Arabs  would  desert  a  locality 
so  dangerous  to  their  hold  on  human  chattels.  On  26th  April 
he  made  his  first  issue  of  paper  money  to  the  extent  of  ^2500, 
redeemable  in  six  months.  By  30th  July  it  had  risen  to 
;^2 6,000,  besides  the  ^50,000,  borrowed  from  merchants. 
On  the  same  day  he  struck  decorations  for  the  defence  of 
Khartoum  —  for  officers  in  silver,  silver-gilt  and  pewter  for 
the  private  soldiers.  These  medals  bear  a  crescent  and  a 
star,  with  a  quotation  from  the  Koran,  the  date,  with  an  in- 
scription —  "  Siege  of  Khartoum  "  —  and  a  hand  grenade  in 
the  centre.  "  School  children  and  women,"  he  wrote,  "also 
received  medals ;  consequently  I  am  very  popular  with  the 
black  ladies  of  Khartoum." 

He  wrote  subsequently,  in  little  notes  to  friends,  "  Be 
assured  that  these  hostilities  are  far  from  being  sought  for, 
but  we  have  no  option.  Retreat  is  impossible,  unless  we 
abandon  the  employes  and  their  families,  which  the  general 
feeling  of  the  troops  is  against."  These  words  show  that  he 
was  in  great  straits  :  and  although  he  was  obliged  to  fight, 
he  mourned  the  necessity.  "  You  may  rely  on  this,"  he 
wrote  further,  "  that  if  there  was  any  possible  way  of  avoiding 
these  wretched  fights,  I  should  adopt  it,  for  the  whole  war  is 
hateful  to  me." 

Still  honor  was  dearer  to  him  than  peace. 

"  I  will  not  leave  these  people  after  all  they  have  gone 
through.  I  shall  not  leave  Khartoum  until  I  can  put  some 
one  in." 

"  I  stay  at  Khartoum  because  Arabs  have  shut  us  out.  I 
also  add  that  even  if  the  road  was  open  the  people  would  not 
let  me  go  unless  I  gave  them  some  government,  or  took  them 
with  me,  which  I  could  not  do." 


328  GENERAL    GORDON. 

On  the  2  2d  of  June  Gordon  wrote  to  the  Mudir  of  Don- 
gola  to  say  that  he  had  8,000  men  with  him  in  Khartoum, 
and  to  ask  if  reinforcements  were  coming ;  and  later  news 
was  received  to  the  effect  that  himself,  Colonel  Stewart,  and 
Mr.  Power  were  all  well,  and  that  he  had  provisions  for  four 
months. 

On  Midsummer-day  Gordon  met  at  the  wells  Mr.  Cuzzi, 
formerly  his  own  agent  at  Berber,  but  now  a  prisoner  of 
the  Mahdi's,  who  had  been  sent  by  the  latter  to  announce 
to  the  General  the  sad  news  that  Berber  had  been  taken, 
that  the  garrison  were  massacred,  and  that  3500  persons 
had  been  killed. 

The  hearts  of  the  three  Englishmen  had  need  to  be  brave  ; 
and  they  were.  The  officer,  Saati  Bey,  who  had  command 
of  the  steamers,  was  also  brave,  and  for  two  months  he  had 
had  uninterrupted  success.  In  July  Mr.  Power  went  up  to 
Gareff,  on  the  Blue  Nile,  taking  with  him  five  armored 
steamers  and  four  armored  barges,  which  had  been  made 
more  effective  by  General  Gordon,  who  had  erected  castles 
twenty  feet  high  on  each,  so  that  a  double  line  of  fire 
could  be  poured  from  them  upon  the  enemy.  The  Arabs 
had  constructed  fourteen  small  forts  between  Gareff  and 
Khartoum,  but  Gordon's  forces  cleared  them  all  away. 
There  were  two  strong  earthworks  at  Gareff,  bound  to- 
gether by  trunks  of  palm  trees  and  defended  by  cannon. 
The  Krupp  gun  disabled  the  cannon. 

In  the  four  months  Gordon's  troops  had  fired  about 
half  a  million  cartridges,  and  two  of  his  steamers  had  re- 
ceived on  their  hulls  nine  hundred  and  eight  hundred  hits 
respectively ;  yet  only  thirty  of  his  men  were  killed  and 
sixty  wounded. 

But  the  strain  upon  the  besieged  must  have  been  simply 
terrible.      They  lived  in  constant  expectation  of  the  arrival 


THE    YEAR   IN  KHARTOUM.  329 

of  relief  from  England ;  but  no  relief  came.  Gordon  en- 
deavored to  keep  up  the  spirits  of  his  people,  and  they 
behaved  admirably.  The  ammunition  was  stored  in  the 
large  mission  premises  on  the  river ;  and  as  time  passed 
on  it  became  necessary  to  use  it  with  the  utmost  caution. 
Great  economy  had  to  be  exercised  in  regard  to  food. 
All  were  rationed,  but  at  the  beginning  of  August  food  had 
become  thirty  times  dearer  than  its  usual  price.  Still  none 
came  to  his  aid.  "  We  appeared  even  as  liars  to  the 
people  of  Khartoum."  These  were  General  Gordon's  words, 
and  there  is  much  heart-break  in  them.  He  knew  the 
people  trusted  him,  yet  he  could  not  keep  his  word, 
Zebehr  and  relief  had  been  promised  them,  but  neither 
came.  He  had  borrowed  money  to  feed  the  starving,  and 
now  it  seemed  as  if  his  paper  money  would  never  be 
redeemed.  Still  he  did  not  altogether  lose  heart,  for  the 
Nile  was  rising;  and  if  Colonel  Stewart  could  only  get 
through  to  Dongola  much  might  be  done.  He  was  able  to 
seize  five  thousand  quarters  of  grain  and  replenish  his 
almost  exhausted  granary.  Moreover,  he  performed  a  very 
plucky  action  in  the  beginning  of  August.  He  reached  the 
garrison  of  Senaar,  and  caused  the  Blue  Nile  to  separate  the 
rebels  into  two  forces.  At  last  the  following  strange  and 
ominous  despatch,  dated  Khartoum,  26th  August,  was 
received  from  General  Gordon  by  the  Khedive,  Sir  Evelyn 
Baring,  and  Nubar  Pasha  respectively  :  — 

"  I  am  awaiting  the  arrival  of  British  troops  in  order  to 
evacuate  the  Egyptian  garrisons.  Send  me  Zebehr  Pasha, 
and  pay  him  a  yearly  salary  of  ^8000.  I  shall  surrender 
the  Soudan  to  the  Sultan  as  soon  as  200,000  Turkish  troops 
have  arrived.  If  the  rebels  kill  the  Egyptians,  you  will  be 
answerable  for  their  bloocl.  I  require  ^300,000  for  soldiers' 
pay,  my  daily  expenses  being  ;^i5oo. 


330  GENERAL    GORDON. 

"  Within  a  few  days  I  shall  take  Berber,  where  I  have  sent 
Colonel  Stewart,  Mr.  Power,  and  the  French  Consul,  with  a 
good  number  of  troops  and  Bashi-Bazouks,  who,  after  a  fort- 
night's stay  there,  will  burn  the  town  and  then  return  to 
Khartoum.  Colonel  Stewart  will  first  go  to  Dongola  and 
then  to  the  Equator  to  bring  back  the  garrisons  from  thence. 
I  disbelieve  the  report  of  the  Mahdi's  coming,  and  hope  the 
Soudanese  will  kill  him. 

"  If  the  Turkish  troops  arrive,  they  should  come  by  Don- 
gola and  Kassala,  and  you  should  give  them  ;,^300,ooo." 

Two  days  later,  England  at  least  approved  of  one  step 
which  was  taken,  and  Gordon  would  have  been  encouraged 
had  he  known  of  it,  —  Lord  Wolseley  was  appointed  to  con- 
duct an  expedition  for  his  relief  to  the  Soudan. 


f 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

"  I  know  the  gentleman 
To  be  worth  and  worthy  estimation, 
And  not  without  desert  so  well  deported." 

—  Two  Goitiemen  of  Verona. 

ON  the  5th  of  August  the  House  of  Commons  having 
gone  into  committee,  Mr.  Gladstone  moved  a  vote  of 
credit  for  ^300,000,  "  to  enable  Her  Majesty  to  undertake 
operations  for  the  relief  of  General  Gordon,  should  it  become 
necessary,  and  to  make  certain  preparations  in  respect 
thereof."  The  vote  was  opposed  by  Mr.  Labouchere  and 
Mr.  Bourke ;  the  latter,  however,  declaring  that  he  and  his 
friends  were  anxious  to  see  General  Gordon  in  a  place  of 
safety.  The  vote  was  carried  by  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
four  to  fourteen.  Preparations  were  commenced  with  great 
activity.  From  Cairo  news  were  telegraphed  that  the  Mudir 
of  Dongola  would  provide  2000  men  to  accompany  Major 
Kitchener  to  Khartoum,  in  which  direction  Major  Chernside 
was  also  making  progress.  It  was  considered  both  advisable 
and  practicable  to  construct  a  railway  from  Suakim  to  Ber- 
ber ;  and  a  portion  of  the  necessary  railway  plant  had  already 
been  landed  at  the  latter  place  ;  but  the  project  was  ulti- 
mately abandoned,  and  the  Nile  route  adopted.     Four  hun- 


332  GENERAL    GORDON. 

dred  boats,  of  light  draught,  were  immediately  ordered  for 
the  expedition.  Shipbuilding  firms  at  Liverpool,  Dundee, 
Hartlepool,  London,  Hull,  and  on  the  Clyde  and  Tyne,  were 
engaged  to  build  them  at  a  cost  of  ^^75  apiece,  and  men 
were  kept  employed  at  them  day  and  night,  in  order  to  expe- 
dite their  delivery.  An  additional  order  was  given  for  other 
four  hundred,  to  be  delivered  in  London  by  the  ist  of  October. 

The  hearts  of  the  British  people  beat  more  freely  when 
it  became  known  that  I^rd  Wolseley  was  appointed  to  con- 
duct the  expedition.  It  proved  that  the  Government  fully 
reahzed  the  gravity  and  the  importance  of  the  undertaking ; 
and  Lord  Wolseley's  past  successes  encouraged  the  hope 
that  he  would  speedily  bring  the  difficulty  to  a  satisfactory 
tennination.  The  War  and  Admiralty  officials  were  busy 
late  and  early ;  and  a  Mobilization  Committee  was  formed, 
including  the  Duke  of  Cambridge,  Lord  Hartington,  Lord 
Wolseley,  Sir  Ralph  Thomson,  Lieutenant-General  Sir  H. 
Herbert,  Quartermaster-General,  and  the  heads  of  the  prin- 
cipal departments,  to  arrange  as  to  the  disposition  of  the 
forces  comprising  the  expedition,  and  to  consider  Lord 
Wolseley's  plans,  so  far  as  they  were  formed,  for  conducting 
the  campaign.  The  Marquis  of  Lansdowne,  Governor- 
General  of  Canada,  issued  a  proclamation  for  the  enlistment 
of  a  contingent  of  six  hundred  Canadian  river  boatmen  to 
conduct  the  boats  up  the  rapids  of  the  Nile,  of  which  Major 
Denison,  of  the  Governor-General's  body-guard,  was  to  take 
command. 

On  the  thirtieth  an  official  telegram  from  Assouan  an- 
nounced the  fact  that  the  Nile  was  rising,  and  that  seven 
steamers  had  been  got  over  the  first  cataract. 

It  was  decided  that  lx)rd  Northbrook  should  accompany 
Lord  Wolseley,  and  on  the  last  day  of  August  they  both  pro- 
ceeded to  Osborne  to  take  leave  of  Her  Majesty ;  and  the 


THE  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  ZIZ 

following  evening  started  on  their  journey.  On  the  9th  of 
September  they  arrived  at  Alexandria,  and  were  received 
with  enthusiasm  by  a  large  assemblage,  and  by  Nubar  Pasha 
and  the  Khedive.  A  special  train  conveyed  them  to  Cairo, 
which  they  reached  in  four  hours.  General  Earle,  as  senior 
officer,  introduced  to  Lord  Northbrook  the  various  officers 
and  native  officials.  Fifty  men  of  the  Black  Watch,  accom- 
panied by  their  band,  formed  a  guard  of  honor,  and  escorted 
Lord  Northbrook  and  Sir  Evelyn  Baring  to  their  residence. 
The  following  is  the  appointments  approved  by  the  Queen  :  — 

General  the  Lord  Wolseley,  G.C.B.,  to  be  General  Officer 
Commanding  in  Chief  the  Forces  in  Egypt. 

To  be  Military  Secretary :  Brevet  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Swaine,  C.B.,  R.A. 

To  be  A.D.C.  :  Major  Wardrop,  3d  Dragoon  Guards ; 
Brevet  Major  Creagh,  R.A.  \  Lieutenant  Childers,  R.A. ; 
Lieutenant  Adye,  R.A. 

To  be  Major-General  on  the  staff:  Major-General  Sir  R. 
Buller,  V.C,  etc.,  as  Chief  of  the  Staff. 

To  be  A.D.C. :  Lieutenant  Lord  W.  Fitzgerald,  King's 
Royal  Rifles. 

To  be  Assistant-Adjutant  and  Quartermasters  General : 
Colonel  W.  F.  Butler,  C.B.,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  G.  A. 
Furse. 

To  be  Deputy- Assistant- Adjutant  and  Quartermaster- 
General  :  Brevet  Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  Alleyne,  R.A. 

For  Special  Service. :  Colonel  Sir  C.  W.  Wilson,  K.C.M.G., 
R.E.,  as  head  of  the  Litelligence  Department ;  Colonel  R. 
Harrison,  C.B.,  R.E. ;  Colonel  H.  Brackenbury,  C.B.,  R.A. ; 
Colonel  Sir  H.  Stewart,  K.C.B.,  3d  Dragoons ;  Colonel 
Webber,  C.B.,  R.E. ;  Colonel  Henderson,  King's  Royal 
Rifles ;  Brevet  Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  F.  Maurice,  R.A. ; 
Captain  Lord  Airlie,  loth  Hussars. 


334  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Lord  Northbrook  presented  to  the  Khedive  his  creden- 
tials as  High  Commissioner,  and  an  autograph  letter  from 
Queen  Victoria,  in  which  Her  Majesty  assured  the  Khedive 
of  her  personal  esteem,  and  expressed  the  hope  that  he  would 
lend  every  help  in  his  power  to  her  High  Commissioner  while 
in  Egypt. 

The  Mudir  of  Dongola  telegraphed  from  Debbah  that 
there  had  been  a  defeat  of  the  rebels  on  the  Nile,  and  on 
the  17th  of  September  news  came  of  renewed  fighting  in 
the  Soudan,  in  which  it  was  said  that  Osman  Digna's  nephew 
had  been  killed. 

A  parliamentary  paper  was  issued  on  the  same  day,  con- 
taining a  despatch  from  Earl  Granville  to  Mr.  Egerton, 
requesting  him  to  send  a  message  to  General  Gordon,  to  the 
effect  that  Her  Majesty's  Government  continued  to  be  anx- 
ious to  learn  from  himself  his  views  and  position,  so  that  if 
danger  had  arisen,  or  was  likely  to  arise,  they  might  take 
measures  accordingly. 

It  was  on  the  1 7th  of  September  that  the  three  identical 
cipher  telegrams  from  General  Gordon  reached  Cairo  for 
the  Khedive,  Sir  Evelyn  Baring,  and  Nubar  Pasha,  in  which 
he  said  he  was  awaiting  the  amval  of  British  troops  in  order 
to  evacuate  the  Egyjjtian  garrisons,  asking  again  for  Zcbchr 
Pasha,  and  stating  tliat  he  re([uired  ;!^3oo,ooo  for  soldiers' 
pay.  These  telegrams  are  given  in  the  previous  chapter. 
A  day  or  two  later  five  other  telegrams  were  received  in 
Cairo  from  the  General. 

On  the  23d  of  September  a  report  was  published  to  the 
effect  that  Gordon  had  won  several  victories  over  the  rebels. 
Lord  Wolseley  hastened  his  departure  from  Cairo,  General 
Earle  took  command  of  the  forces  at  AVady  Haifa,  and 
Colonel  Stewart  started  for  Dongola.  The  Mahdi  had  sent 
messengers  to  Suakim  to  say  that  having  heard  of  General 


THE  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  335 

Gordon's  recent  successes  he  intended  to  despatch  troops  to 
Khartoum.  In  the  meantime  all  hands  were  at  work  mak- 
ing preparations  for  the  advance.  Great  things  were  hoped 
from  the  armed  steamer  Nasefra,  for  it  was  thought  that 
the  presence  of  a  vessel  flying  the  British  flag  in  the  upper 
waters  of  the  Nile  would  produce  a  great  effect  upon  the 
natives,  who  would  then  be  convinced  for  the  first  time 
that  a  force  was  on  its  way  to  Khartoum. 

During  the  time  the  Expedition  was  advancing,  the  Nile 
boats  were  gradually  making  their  way,  and  the  infantry  had 
reached  Dongola. 

Early  in  October  the  news  from  General  Gordon  was 
exceedingly  grave  and  important.  It  was  reported  that  he 
had  conducted  a  force  in  two  steamers  and  bombarded  Ber- 
ber. But  immediately  afterwards  came  the  news  that  Col- 
onel Stewart  and  Mr.  Power  had  been  murdered. 

After  he  had  driven  the  rebels  out  of  Berber,  General 
Gordon  returned  to  Khartoum,  and  then  Colonel  Stewart, 
with  about  forty  men  on  board  a  steamer,  went  down  the 
Nile  in  order  to  proceed  to  Dongola  to  open  up  communi- 
cations with  the  Mudir.  The  steamer  was  making  its  way 
down  the  river  when  it  struck  upon  a  rock  and  was  disabled. 
Stewart  and  his  men  did  their  very  utmost  to  get  the  steamer 
off",  but  were  unable  to  accomplish  it.  Several  natives  then 
came  on  board,  and  appeared  to  be  friendly.  They  invited 
the  crew  to  their  dwellings  and  gave  them  presents ;  and 
they  informed  Colonel  Stewart  that  he  was  only  a  short  dis- 
tance from  Meranee.  They  said  that  in  that  village  they 
would  be  able  to  procure  men  to  remove  the  steamer  ;  and 
an  Arab  chief  engaged  to  provide  the  party  with  camels  and 
glides.  Colonel  Stewart,  after  a  little  natural  hesitation, 
decided  to  trust  the  natives.  The  chief  requested  them  to 
lay  down  their  arms,  as  otherwise  the  natives  would   not 


336  GENERAL    GORDON. 

trust  them,  and  they  consented  to  do  so,  Colonel  Stewart 
retaining  only  a  small  pistol  in  his  pocket.  Suleiman  Wad 
Gamr,  who  conducted  the  negotiations,  and  who  undertook 
to  guide  them  received  a  present  of  a  sword  and  dress,  after 
which  Colonel  Stewart  and  his  party  prepared  to  go  ashore 
and  start  on  the  journey.  At  that  moment  he  and  his  two 
English  companions  were  treacherously  murdered. 

At  first,  when  the  news  came,  it  was  hoped  that  Mr.  Power 
had  escaped,  or  that  he  had  not  been  one  of  the  party ;  but 
as  time  passed  on  that  hope  proved  fallacious.  It  was  sev- 
eral months  before  the  English  public  had  the  whole  story 
told  them.  At  length  Husseim  Ismail,  who  had  been  stoker 
on  board  the  Abdai,  one  of  Stewart's  steamers,  escaped  from 
the  Arabs,  and  having  joined  General  Earle's  column,  made 
the  following  statement,  which  we  extract  from  the  Sia7i- 
dard :  — 

"  We  left  Khartoum  about  six  months  ago.  There  were 
with  us  two  other  steamers.  On  board  the  Abdai  were 
Colonel  Stewart,  two  Pashas,  two  European  Consuls,  Has- 
san Bey,  twelve  Greeks,  and  some  Egyptian  soldiers,  besides 
the  crew. 

"When  we  reached  Berber  we  shelled  the  forts  there. 
After  this  the  other  steamers  went  back.  We  came  on 
do\vn  the  Nile.  Nothing  happened  till  v/e  passed  Abu 
Hamed  j  but  on  the  i8th  of  September  the  steamer  struck 
on  a  rock.  We  were  then  passing  through  Wad  Gamr's 
country.  As  we  had  passed  down  we  had  seen  the  people 
running  away  into  the  hills  on  both  sides  of  the  river. 

"  When  it  was  found  that  the  steamer  could  not  be  got  off 
the  rock,  the  small  boat,  filled  with  useful  things,  was  sent 
to  a  little  island  near  us.  Four  trips  were  made.  Then 
Colonel  Stewart  himself  spiked  the  guns,  and  threw  them 
overboard,  and  also  two  boxes  of  ammunition. 


THE  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  337 

"The  people  now  came  down  to  the  right  bank  in  great 
numbers,  shouting,  '  Give  us  peace  and  grain.'  We  an- 
swered '  Peace.'  Suleiman  Wad  Gamr  himself  was  in  a 
small  house  near  the  bank,  and  he  came  out  and  called  to 
Colonel  Stewart  to  land  without  fear,  but  said  that  the  sol- 
diers must  be  unarmed,  or  the  people  would  be  afraid  of 
them. 

"Colonel  Stewart,  after  talking  it  over  with  the  others, 
then  crossed  in  the  boats,  with  the  two  English  Consuls  and 
Hassen  Bey,  and  entered  the  house  of  the  blind  man,  Fakri 
Etman,  to  arrange  with  Suleiman  for  the  purchase  of  camels 
to  take  us  all  down  to  Dongola.  None  of  the  four  had  any 
'arms,  with  the  exception  of  Colonel  Stewart,  who  carried  a 
small  revolver  in  his  pocket.  While  they  were  in  the  house 
we  began  to  land  in  the  boat. 

"After  a  litde  time  we  saw  Suleiman  come  out  of  the 
house,  with  a  copper  water  pot  in  his  hand.  He  made 
signs  to  the  people  who  were  all  gathered  near  the  house. 
They  immediately  divided  into  two  parties,  one  entering  the 
house,  the  other  rushing  down  towards  us  who  were  gath- 
ered on  the  bank,  shouting  and  waving  their  spears.  I  was 
with  the  party  who  had  landed  when  they  charged  down. 
We  all  threw  ourselves  into  the  river.  The  natives  fired, 
killing  some  in  the  river,  many  others  were  drowned,  and 
the  rest  speared  as  they  came  near  the  bank.  I  swam  to 
the  island,  and  hid  there  till  dark,  when  I  was  made  pris- 
oner with  some  others,  and  sent  to  Berti. 

"  I  heard  that  Colonel  Stewart  and  the  two  Englishmen 
were  killed  at  once.  Hassen  Bey  held  the  blind  man  before 
him,  so  that  they  could  not  spear  him.  They  spared  his 
life,  and  he  afterwards  escaped  to  Berber.  Two  artillery- 
men, two  sailors,  and  three  natives  are,  I  believe,  still  alive 
at  Berber,  where    they  were   sent   by  Suleiman.     All   the 


338  GENERAL    GORDON. 

money  found  on  board  and  in  the  pockets  of  those  they 
killed  was  divided  among  the  men  who  did  the  murder. 
Everything  else  of  value  was  placed  in  two  boxes  and  sent 
under  a  guard  to  Berber.  The  bodies  of  Colonel  Stewart 
and  the  others  were  thrown  at  once  into  the  river." 

Before  the  full  particulars  of  this  massacre  reached  Eng- 
land, another  telegram  had  been  received  from  General 
Gordon,  complaining  of  the  slowness  of  the  expedition, 
and  declaring  that  the  rebels  were  increasing. 

There  was  at  first  a  considerable  amount  of  sickness 
among  the  troops  at  Dongola,  but  as  the  month  of  October 
wore  on  the  health  of  the  men  improved,  and  the  officers 
arranged  some  shght  diversion  for  them.  The  programme 
comprised  races  for  horses  and  camels,  and  foot  races  for 
the  men,  and  the  relaxation  was  much  enjoyed  by  all  ranks. 
To  witness  a  camel-race  was  a  new  experience  for  English- 
men, and  occasioned  considerable  amusement. 

Lord  Wolseley  made  Wady  Haifa  his  headquarters. 
This  place  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Second  Cataract, 
and  is  793  miles  from  Cairo.  His  presence  there  gave  con- 
siderable impetus  to  the  expedition.  He  had  a  force  of 
6000  men  at  his  disposal. 

Lord  Northbrook  started  on  his  return  journey  towards 
the  end  of  October.  About  the  same  time  it  was  announced 
from  Cairo  that  the  Mahdi,  having  heard  that  General 
Gordon  was  running  short  of  provisions,  determined  to 
render  the  investment  of  Khartoum  so  complete  as  to 
starve  out  the  garrison.  For  this  puri)ose  he  was  preparing 
to  despatch  a  force  of  15,000  men. 

Additional  particulars  in  regard  to  Gordon's  cipher  tele- 
grams were  published  before  October  was  ended.  He  in- 
fonned  Sir  Evelyn  Baring  that  the  best  route  for  an  expedi- 
tion would  be  from  Wady  Haifa,  along  the  right  bank  of  the 


THE  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  339 

Nile,  to  Berber ;  that  if  Berber  had  not  fallen,  the  campaign 
would  simply  have  been  a  picnic. 

On  the  3d  of  November  several  newspapers  in  England 
published  intelligence  of  a  startling  character,  but  which 
afterwards  proved  to  be  false.  It  purported  to  come  from 
the  Cairo  correspondent  of  the  Ceiitral  Nctvs,  and  stated 
that  a  noted  sheikh  had  brought  news  to  the  effect  that  Gen- 
eral Gordon  was  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  Mahdi.  A 
very  circumstantial  story  was  told,  to  the  effect  that  Gordon 
had  been  compelled  to  yield  to  the  remonstrances  of  the 
people  in  Khartoum,  who  were  dying  of  starvation ;  that  he 
had  left  Khartoum  in  September,  accompanied  by  the  2000 
troops  who  had  remained  faithful ;  that  his  steamers  had 
sustained,  in  sight  of  Berber,  a  murderous  cannonade,  which 
destroyed  nearly  all  the  flotilla ;  and  that  Gordon  was  a 
prisoner,  heavily  ironed,  and  at  the  mercy  of  the  Mahdi. 

The  news  scarcely  created  a  panic,  for  most  people 
received  it  with  caution,  and  the  next  intelligence  disproved 
the  report.  On  the  4th  of  November  a  telegram  from  Don- 
gola  stated  that  the  troops  of  the  Mahdi  had  closely  sur- 
rounded Khartoum,  and  that  the  Mahdi  himself  had  called 
upon  Gordon  to  surrender. 

"  Not  for  ten  years,"  was  the  reply  of  the  intrepid 
General. 

He  afterwards  said,  "  When  you,  Mahdi,  order  the  Nile  to 
dry  up,  and  walk  across  with  your  troops,  and  come  into 
Khartoum  to  me,  and  take  me,  then  I  will  surrender  the 
town  to  you,  and  not  before." 

Some  remarkable  stories  were  told  of  the  tyranny  and 
rapacity  of  the  Mahdi,  and  of  his  endeavors  to  work  mira- 
cles by  jugglery.  It  was  asserted  that  he  took  in  earnest 
the  taunt  of  General  Gordon  with  regard  to  the  drying  up 
of  the  Nile,  and  that  he  ordered  three  thousand  of  his  men 


340  GENERAL    GORDON. 

to  cross  the  river,  assuring  them  that  it  would  become  dry 
ground  as  they  advanced.  They  were  forced  to  obey  the 
order,  and  the  result  of  the  experiment  was  that  almost  the 
whole  number  were  drowned. 

On  the  8th  of  November  a  letter  was  received  from 
General  Gordon  stating  that  he  was  safe,  and  that  so  far 
from  starving,  he  had  enough  provisions  to  enable  him  to 
hold  out  until  the  expedition  arrived. 

A  few  days  later  came  the  news  of  the  daring  ride  of 
Major  Stuart  Wordey  across  the  desert.  His  ride  from 
Selimah  round  to  Dongola  completed  a  survey  of  the  entire 
flanking  route  from  Kordofan  to  Assiout  by  the  Western 
Desert,  with  a  view  to  ascertain  the  possibility  of  a  rapid 
hostile  advance  by  that  line  cutting  the  British  force  from 
their  base.  With  four  attendants  Major  Stuart  Wortley 
struck  south  from  Selimah,  and  penetrated  to  Laghen,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant,  and  then  went  over  a  desert 
of  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  to  the  nearest  point  of  the 
Nile,  and  then  eastward  to  Dongola,  steering  himself  by  the 
aid  of  the  compass  alone.  Bedouins  followed  the  little 
party  for  some  distance,  but  they  were  evidently  afraid  to 
attack.  Fifty  miles  from  the  Nile,  Major  Wortley  struck  the 
great  Wady-el-Kab,  and  found  it  a  fine  grazing  country  for 
camels,  well  supplied  with  water.  The  Major  considered 
that  this  route  should  be  watched ;  and  his  journey, 
described  as  "  one  of  the  most  plucky  events  of  the  expedi- 
tion," doubdess  effected  good  and  prevented  evil. 

The  progress  made  by  the  expedition  appeared,  to  those 
who  in  England  waited  for  news,  to  be  exceedingly  slow ; 
but  the  difficulties  of  getting  the  boats  up  the  Nile  were 
almost  insurmountable.  The  advance  began ;  our  men 
worked  with  a  will,  and  all  that  genius  and  courage  could 
achieve  was  doubtless  accomplished ;  but,  all  the  same,  it 


THE  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  341 

was  weary  waiting  in  England,  and  what  it  must  have  been 
in  Khartoum  no  pen  can  describe.  In  November  Khartoum 
and  Dongola  were  within  ten  or  fifteen  days'  communication 
from  each  other ;  and  in  answer  to  a  letter  which  he  had 
received  from  Lord  Wolseley,  General  Gordon  sent  one  con- 
taining eight  hundred  words.  It  expressed  the  General's 
regret  at  the  wreck  of  the  steamer  which  he  had  despatched 
from  Khartoum  with  Colonel  Stewart,  Mr.  Power,  Mr.  Her- 
bin,  and  thirty  others  on  board,  and  confirmed  the  news  of 
the  massacre.  It  declared  his  delight  to  hear  of  the  advance 
of  the  British  troops,  and  his  belief  that  he  could  hold  out 
until  they  arrived.  It  affirmed  that  the  Mahdi  was  at  that , 
time  only  a  day's  march  from  Khartoum,  and  that  he  (Gor- 
don) continued  with  his  steamers  to  harass  the  enemy,  who  \ 
were  attempting  to  reach  Khartoum.  It  stated  also  that  he  ■ 
had  received  letters  from  his  sister,  Sir  Samuel  Baker,  and 
Mr.  Stanley,  through  Major  Kitchener.  The  letter  gave 
many  directions  as  to  the  best  means  of  reaching  him,  and 
repudiated  the  idea  that  the  expedition  was  coming  to  res- 
cue him. 

"  You  are  coming,"  he  wrote,  "  not  to  relieve  me,  but  to  /" 
rescue  the  garrisons  which  I  was  unable  to  withdraw." 

This  letter  was  dated  4th  November,  and  reached  Lord 
Wolseley  on  the  thirteenth  of  the  same  month. 

A  later  message  was  received  which  gave  an  account  of 
Gordon's  proceedings  in  Khartoum.  He  was  engaged  in 
making  powder,  repairing  disabled  steamers,  and  building 
new  ones.  His  Admiral  Kasham  Amors,  had,  with  five 
steamers  and  500  men,  driven  the  rebels  from  the  banks  of 
the  Nile  as  far  as  Shendy.  Large  supj)lies  of  grain  had 
been  brought  in  ;  and,  notwithstanding  that  the  Mahdi  had 
15,000  troops  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Nile,  all  was  well  in 
Khartoum,  if  only  the  brave  commander  could  have  no  fear 
of  treachery. 


342  GENERAL    GORDON. 

On  the  ist  December  Lord  Wolseley  published  the  follow- 
ing order,  which  was  to  be  read  at  the  head  of  every  regi- 
ment, battalion,  battery,  and  detached  body  of  troops,  and 
to  appear  in  all  orders  for  three  days  :  — 

"  The  relief  of  General  Gordon,  and  of  the  garrison  which 
has  been  so  long  besieged  in  Khartoum,  is  the  glorious  mis- 
sion which  the  Queen  has  entrusted  to  us,  an  enterprise  which 
stirs  the  heart  of  every  soldier  and  sailor  fortunate  enough  to 
be  selected  to  share  in  it,  and  the  very  magnitude  of  the 
difficulties  only  stimulates  us  to  increased  exertion. 

"  We  are  all  proud  of  General  Gordon's  gallant  and  self- 
sacrificing  defence  of  Khartoum,  which  has  added,  if  possi- 
ble, to  his  already  high  reputation.  He  cannot  hold  out 
for  many  months  longer,  and  now  calls  us  to  save  the  garri- 
son. His  heroism  and  patriotism  are  household  words 
wherever  the  English  tongue  is  spoken,  and  not  only  has 
his  safety  become  a  matter  of  national  importance,  but  the 
knowledge  that  a  comrade  is  in  danger  urges  us  to  push 
forward  with  redoubled  energy. 

"  Neither  he  nor  the  garrison  can  be  allowed  to  meet  the 
sad  fate  of  the  gallant  Colonel  Stewart,  who,  carrying  out 
an  enterprise  of  unusual  danger,  was  cruelly  murdered  by 
his  captors.  We  can,  and,  with  God's  help,  we  will,  save 
General  Gordon  from  such  a  death. 

"  The  labor  of  working  up  this  river  is  immense,  and  to 
bear  it  uncomplainingly  demands  the  highest  soldierly 
qualities,  and  that  contempt  for  danger  and  determination 
to  overcome  difficulties  which  in  previous  campaigns  has 
always  distinguished  all  ranks  throughout  the  Army  and 
Navy. 

"  The  physical  objects  which  impede  rapid  progress  are 
considerable  ;  but  wlio  cares  for  them  when  we  remember 
General  Gordon  and  his  garrison  are  in  danger?     Under 


THE  RELIEF  EXPEDITION  343 

God,  their  safety  is  now  in  your  hands.      Come  what  may, 
we  must  save  them. 

"  British  soldiers  and  sailors,  it  is  needless  to  say  more. 

"  The  General  Commanding  will  give  a  hundred  pounds 
to  the  battalion  of  the  Nile  force  which  makes  the  quickest 
time,  with  the  fewest  accidents,  between  Sarras  and 
Debbeh,  and  will  do  all  he  can  to  give  the  place  of  honor 
to  the  battalion  which  wins  the  prize.  The  hundred 
pounds  will  be  distributed,  on  their  return  to  Egypt, 
amongst  the  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates  of  the 
winning  battalion." 

The  Times  in  a  leading  article  thus  speaks  of  Mr. 
Power  :  "  We  are  proud  to  pay  a  tribute  to  the  memory  of 
our  brave  and  ill-fated  correspondent,  Mr.  Power,  who, 
thrown  on  a  sudden  into  the  midst  of  great  events  and 
formidable  dangers,  showed  himself  fully  equal  to  the 
occasion.  It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  it  was  almost 
exclusively  through  Mr.  Power's  despatches  published  in 
these  columns  that  England  and  Europe  first  of  all  learnt 
the  details  of  the  disaster  which  befell  Hicks  Pasha's  army, 
and  the  triumph  of  the  Mahdi,  and  the  gradual  closing  of 
the  enemy  around  Khartoum.  Afterwards  it  was  from  him 
we  had  the  graphic  and  stirring  accounts  of  General 
Gordon's  arrival,  and  of  his  energetic  efforts  to  establish 
order,  and  to  keep  the  hostile  tribes  around  him  at  bay,  of 
his  victories  and  his  misfortunes,  of  the  valor  of  his  Bedouin 
foes,  and  the  treachery  and  cowardice  of  his  Turkish  and 
Egyptian  troops.  Then  for  a  long  time  the  curtain  fell.  It 
was  lifted  for  a  moment  when  Mr.  Power  was  enabled  to  send 
us  his  journal  of  events,  as  romantic  as  any  recorded  in  his- 
tory, which  had  been  happening  while  Khartoum  was  cut  off 
for  months  from  the  outer  world." 

In  the  meantime  a  glimpse  of  the  life  of  the  defender  ot 


344  GENERAL    GORDON. 

the  garrison  was  given  by  a  native  of  Khartoum,  who  had 
reached  the  Mudir  of  Dongola.  He  had  accompUshed  the 
journey  between  Khartoum  and  Dongola  in  a  fortnight,  but 
in  accordance  with  General  Gordon's  orders  he  had  stayed 
four  days  at  Omdurman,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  learn  some- 
thing of  the  movements  of  the  Mahdi,  and  report  upon  them 
to  the  Mudir.  The  messenger  said  that  the  Mahdi  and  his 
followers  were  SuiTering  severely  from  famine,  and  that  the 
dead  bodies  of  several  of  their  number  were  to  be  seen 
lying  unburied  in  the  surrounding  country.  He  stated 
that  the  Mahdi's  followers  were  discouraged  by  the  repeated 
attacks  made  upon  them,  and  that  many,  hearing  of  the 
approach  of  the  British,  had  dispersed. 

He  also  reported  that  five  hundred  of  the  Mahdi's  regulars 
had  deserted  him,  entered  Khartoum,  and  surrendered  to 
the  General. 

As  to  the  daily  life  of  the  hero  within  the  walls,  we  have 
since  learned  that  at  this  time  he  spent  his  nights  in  constant 
expectation  of  attacks.  Throughout  the  entire  night  he 
kept  careful  watch,  visited  the  outposts,  and  by  personal 
scrutiny  assured  himself  that  every  sentry  was  on  the  alert. 
He  had  two  palaces,  and  on  the  roof  of  each  he  had  mounted 
a  gun.  At  daybreak  he  carefully  primed  this  gim  and  recon- 
noitred the  enemy's  position,  after  which  he  usually  partook 
of  breakfast,  and  retired  to  his  bed  for  rest.  He  was  said  to 
be  looking  well,  and  keeping  strong  and  courageous. 

Nevertheless,  it  was  known  that  the  Mahdi  had  drawn  a 
complete  cordon  round  the  city  of  Khartoum,  and  had  de- 
clared that  he  would  reduce  the  place  by  famine.  He  had 
himself  received  abundant  supplies  from  Kordofan.  It  was 
said  that  Gordon  had  inflicted  some  losses  upon  them  by 
means  of  his  mines ;  but  it  was  known  that  his  position  had 
become  exceedingly  critical. 


THE  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  345 

The  close  of  the  year  witnessed  a  rapid  advance  of  the 
troops.  No  sooner  were  the  Christmas  festivities  over  than 
Lord  Wolseley  issued  an  order  for  all  the  troops  to  be  ready 
to  proceed  at  once.  That  a  crisis  had  come  was  evident 
from  the  desperate  character  of  the  work  given  to  the  troops 
to  do.  General  Stewart  was  to  leave  with  the  Mounted 
Infantry  and  the  Camel  Corps,  and  make  a  dash  across  the 
desert  to  Metemmeh.  General  Earle  was  to  force  his  way  up 
the  Nile. 

Perhaps  Lord  Wolseley  knew  that  at  length  the  heart  of 
the  solitary  hero  of  the  Soudan  had  begun  to  fail  him ;  for 
one  of  his  friends  at  Cairo  had  received  the  following 
letter :  — 

"  Farewell.  You  will  never  hear  from  me  again.  I  fear 
that  there  will  be  treachery  in  the  garrison,  and  all  will  be 
over  by  Christmas." 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE   END   OF  THE  STORY. 

"  England,  thou  hast  not  saved  one  drop  of  blood  in  this  hot  trial." 

—  King  John. 

KHARTOUM  all  right,  14th  December.  —  C.  G. 
Gordon." 

This  brief  message,  which  arrived  on  New  Year's  Day, 
put  every  one  into  better  spirits.  It  was  on  a  tiny  scrap  of 
paper  no  bigger  than  a  postage  stamp,  and  could  have  been 
swallowed  if  the  messenger  had  found  it  necessary.  It  was 
put  in  a  quill,  and  hidden  in  the  messenger's  hair. 

The  column  under  General  Stewart  was  making  a  quick 
march  across  the  Desert.  The  Arabs  were  astonished  at  the 
rapidity  shown  by  the  troops.  The  camels  were  so  placed 
as  to  make  a  compact  column,  which  would  be  able  to  resist 
any  attack  by  the  enemy.  No  attack,  however,  was  made. 
The  troops  met  a  small  convoy  of  camels,  on  their  way  to  the 
Mahdi  with  dates  ;  and  General  Stewart  took  seven  pris- 
oners. The  journey  continued  ;  and  after  the  march  across 
the  desert,  of  a  hundred  miles  over  rough  ground,  Gakdul 
Wells  was  reached  on  the  2d  of  January.  The  long  and 
perilous  march  had  only  occupied  sixty-five  hours,  and  had 
been  accomplished  without  casualties   of  any  kind.     The 


THE  END    OF   THE   STORY.  347 

journey  had  been  made  more  toilsome  by  the  absence  of 
water ;  but  when  they  reached  Gakdul  Wells  they  found  an 
unlimited  supply.  Sir  Herbert  Stewart  left  the  men  en- 
camped in  a  position  which  Lord  Wolseley  had  described  as 
impregnable;  and  then  rode  back  to  Korti — the  present 
headquarters  of  Lord  Wolseley — taking  the  camels  to  fetch 
more  troops.  About  halfway  on  the  journey  some  men  were 
left  at  Hombok  Wells,  and  General  Stewart  arrived  at  Korti 
on  the  fifth.  Lord  Wolseley  rode  out  five  or  six  miles  to 
meet  him,  and  congratulated  him  on  his  splendid  achieve- 
ment. The  prisoners  whom  he  brought  with  him  tore  from 
their  dress  the  braid,  which  was  the  sign  of  their  allegiance 
to  the  Mahdi,  and  spat  upon  their  uniform,  and  freely  cursed 
their  former  master.  The  camels  needed  rest  before  restart- 
ing across  their  desert  journey ;  but  on  the  seventh  Lord 
Wolseley  sent  the  following  telegram  to  the  Secretary  of 
War:  — 

"Korti,  7th  January,  1885,  4.10  P.M. 

"  Strong  convoy  now  leaving  camp  for  Gakdul. 

"  General  Stewart  starts  with  another  to-morrow  for 
Metemmeh.  Expect  him  to  occupy  it  on  the  15th  instant. 
If  steamer  there,  will  communicate  with  Gordon  without 
delay." 

A  day  or  two  after  the  able  correspondent  of  The  Stand- 
ard sent  the  following  amusing  paragraph  describing  the 
scene  of  preparations  at  Korti :  — 

"  The  Naval  Brigade  paraded  this  evening  on  camels,  and 
were  inspected  by  Lord  Wolseley.  The  sailors  are  hugely 
delighted  at  finding  themselves  on  camels,  and  cause  great 
amusement  to  all  here  by  their  joviality  and  fun.  Their 
ideas  as  to  the  pleasure  of  this   kind  of  locomotion  will 


348  GENERAL    GORDON. 

probably  be  considerably  modified  by  the  time  they  arrive 
at  Gakdul.  Everything  is  conducted  in  nautical  fashion, 
and  the  camels  are  steered  to  the  words  of  command, 
'  Port '  or  '  Starboard.'  The  animals  themselves  appear 
puzzled  with  their  new  riders,  whose  vivacity  and  energy 
contrast  strongly  with  that  of  the  natives  who  are  accus- 
tomed to  pilot  them.  '  Steer  small,  Bill ; '  '  Mind  your 
helm,  Jack,  or  you  will  run  me  aboard,'  were  the  sentences 
one  caught  as  the  camels  got  in  motion." 

The  correspondent  also  announced  that  he  was  going  on 
with  General  Stewart's  column,  probably  little  thinking  that 
he  was  going  to  his  death  !  The  forces  under  General 
Stewart's  command  were  only  to  make  a  halt  for  one  day  at 
Gakdul  Wells,  and  then  march  on  to  Metemmeh.  The 
arrangement  was  that  as  soon  as  Stewart  and  his  men 
reached  Metemmeh,  Colonel  Wilson,  Lord  Charles  Bercsford, 
who  had  part  of  the  Naval  Brigade  under  his  command,  and 
others,  should  go  up  to  Khartoum. 

At  this  time  General  Gordon  was  sending  several  of  his 
steamers  up  and  down  between  Khartoum  and  Metemmeh, 
with  the  object,  not  only  of  keeping  the  water-way  open, 
but  of  assisting  those  who  were  making  their  progress 
towards  him.  It  seemed,  therefore,  that  the  end  of  the 
expedition  was  in  view.  If  once  Colonel  Wilson  and 
General  Gordon  could  commilnicate  with  each  other  by 
these  steamers,  it  appeared  that  little  more  would  be  left  to 
accomplish. 

On  the  loth  of  January  a  messenger  reached  Korti,  who 
had  previously  been  sent  by  Ix)rd  Wolseley  to  General 
Gordon.  He  had  accomplished  the  journey  both  ways  with 
great  speed,  and  spent  one  day  in  Khartoum ;  but  on  his 
return  was  stopped  by  tribesmen,  and  beaten  and  robbed, 
Gordon's   despatches  being   taken   from   him,  excepting  a 


THE  END    OF  THE  STORY.  3-19 

fac  simile  of  the  little  note  already  referred  to.  He  said 
that  Gordon  was  in  good  health,  and  that  his  steamers  were 
taking  cattle  and  grain  safely  into  Khartoum. 

The  second  party  travelled  much  more  slowly  to  Gakdul 
than  the  first.  Every  ounce  of  food  and  water  had  to  be 
carried.  The  heat  was  intense,  but  the  men's  allowance  of 
water  was  only  two  pints  a  day.  They  so  suffered  from  thirst 
that  they  sometimes  could  not  take  their  food,  and  the  camels 
were  nearly  three  days  without  water.  At  Howeiyat  Wells, 
though  the  water  was  like  pea-soup,  the  soldiers  offered  a 
dollar  for  a  glassful  of  it. 

Still  they  kept  on,  and  plans  were  laid  for  the  future  with 
care  and  caution.  General  Earle  was  making  his  way  up  the 
Nile,  and  the  forces  would  unite  as  speedily  as  possible. 

The  march  across  the  Desert  met  with  nothing  particularly 
noteworthy  until  the  afternoon  of  the  sixteenth,  when  the 
Hussar  scouts  brought  in  a  report  to  the  effect  that  the  enemy 
were  in  force  at  Abu  Klea. 

These  wells  were  then  in  sight.  General  Stewart  having 
marched  his  force  in  square  column  formation,  rode  forward 
to  reconnoitre.  He  discovered  the  enemy  at  the  neck  of  a 
valley  leading  from  the  desert  to  the  Nile.  The  General 
decided  that  it  would  not  be  wise  at  once  to  make  the  attack, 
as  the  night  was  coming  on,  and  the  troops  were  weary  with 
their  march.  A  zereba  was  formed,  and  strong  pickets  were 
posted  on  the  hills  in  front.  A  harmless  fire  was  kept  up 
during  the  night,  and  twice  the  troops  were  summoned  to 
arms. 

In  the  morning  the  enemy  was  discovered  strongly  posted 
on  the  right  front,  and  scouts  were  seen  creeping  round  to 
the  left.  It  was  ten  o'clock  when  General  Stewart  gave  the 
order  to  advance.  The  camels  and  heavy  impediments  were 
left  in  the  zereba.     The  force  moved  on  in  the  direction  of 


350  GENERAL    GORDON. 

the  Abu  Klea  wells,  which  wells  are  situated  about  t\venty- 
five  miles  north  of  Metemmeh.  The  enemy  occupied  favora- 
ble ground,  and,  as  the  Daily  News  correspondent  said,  "  Our 
scjuare  moved  forward  under  a  hail  of  bullets,  men  dropping 
from  the  ranks  right  and  left."  In  an  hour  the  body  of  the 
enemy  was  in  full  sight,  and  General  Stewart  tried  to  pass 
round  their  left  flank ;  but  the  enemy  wheeled  suddenly  to 
the  left,  and  charged  full  upon  the  left  rear  of  the  square. 
There  was  a  temporary  confusion  at  the  point  where  the 
Heavy  Cavalry  Camel  regiment  stood  ;  but  the  men  quickly 
rallied,  and  remained  steadily  at  their  post,  maintaining  a 
hand-to-hand  combat.  The  enemy  was  beset  on  all  sides, 
and  eventually  gave  way  ;  and  the  Abu  Klea  wells  were  in  the 
hands  of  the  British  about  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

General  Stewart,  in  sending  his  report  to  Lord  Wolseley, 
bore  this  testimony  to  the  valor  of  the  men  :  "  It  has  been 
my  duty  to  command  a  force  from  which  exceptional  work, 
exceptional  hardships,  and,  it  may  even  be  added,  excep- 
tional fighting  has  been  called  for.  It  would  be  impossible 
for  me  adequately  to  describe  the  admirable  support  that 
has  been  given  to  me  by  every  officer  and  man  of  the 
force." 

Unhappily,  the  Abu  Klea  victory  was  only  secured  at  great 
cost  and  by  heavy  British  losses.  Nine  officers  and  sixty-five 
non-commissioned  officers  and  men  were  killed,  and  eighty- 
five  wounded.  The  names  of  the  officers  were  :  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel F.  G.  Burnaby,  Royal  Horse  Guards ;  Major 
Carmichael,  15th  Lancers;  Major  Atherton,  5th  Dragoon 
Guards  ;  Major  Gough,  Royal  Dragoons  ;  Captain  Darley, 
4th  Dragoon  Guards  ;  Lieutenant  Law,  4th  Dragoon  Guards  ; 
Lieutenant  Wolfe,  Scots  Greys  ;  and  Lieutenants  Pigott  and 
De  Lisle,  Naval  Brigade.  Lord  St.  Vincent,  Major  Dickson, 
Lieutenants  Lisle  and  Guthrie,  and  Surgeon  Magill,  were 
severely  wounded. 


THE  END    OF   THE  STORY.  351 

Colonel  Frederick  Gustavus  Burnaby  had  been  a  most 
adventurous  soldier.  He  entered  the  Royal  Horse  Guards 
Blue  in  1859,  was  made  captain  in  1866,  and  lieutenant- 
colonel  in  188 1.  It  was  in  1875  that  he  started  on  his  famous 
"  Ride  to  Khiva."  Later  he  rode  on  horseback  through  Asia 
Minor  and  Persia.  At  the  very  beginning  of  the  Soudan  ex- 
pedition from  Suakim  against  the  Mahdi's  forces,  Colonel 
Bumaby  served  under  General  Graham,  and  in  the  battle  of 
El  Teb  he  was  severely  wounded  by  a  fragment  of  a  cannon 
shot  which  struck  his  face.  He  returned  to  England  in  order 
to  recover,  but  before  his  wounds  were  healed,  hearing  of  Lord 
Wolseley's  expedition,  he  decided  to  join  the  forces,  which, 
however,  he  was  only  able  to  do  a  week  before  his  death. 

Major  Carmichael  of  the  5  th  Royal  Irish  Lancers,  though 
he  joined  his  regiment  in  186 1,  had  not  before  been  in  active 
service.  His  death  awakened  considerable  public  sympathy 
for  his  orphan  child,  only  a  few  months  old,  whose  mother 
died  at  the  time  of  his  birth.  Major  Carmichael  had  spent 
nearly  ^400  in  purchasing  promotion,  but  the  system  had 
since  been  abolished,  and  the  child  would  only  receive  an 
annuity  of  ^21. 

On  this  circumstance  becoming  known,  the  Queen  made 
inquiries,  and  the  child  will  no  doubt  be  cared  for.  Her 
Majesty,  on  receiving  news  of  the  victory  gained  by  Sir 
Herbert  Stewart,  instantly  telegraphed  to  Lord  Wolseley  the 
pride  she  felt  at  the  conduct  of  her  brave  troops,  and  her 
deep  concern  at  the  loss  of  so  many  gallant  officers  and  men, 
and  asked  that  she  might  be  kept  informed  of  the  state  of 
the  wounded,  after  whom  she  anxiously  inquired. 

For  several  days  following  the  Abu  Klea  victory  no  news 
was  received  from  General  Stewart  and  his  forces,  excepting 
a  report  that  was  calculated  to  inspire  the  gravest  anxiety, 
which  was  to  the  effect  that  Omdurman,  which  lies  on  the 


352  GENERAL    GORDON. 

left  bank  of  the  river  opposite  Khartoum,  had  been  taken, 
and  was  occupied  by  the  Mahdi.  It  was  felt  that  this  would 
greatly  increase  the  peril  of  General  Gordon's  position,  and 
England  waited  in  suspense  for  the  next  tidings. 

It  was  something,  however,  to  know  that  the  boat  column, 
under  General  Earle,  was  making  satisfactory  progress  up  the 
Nile,  although  that  was  the  only  satisfaction  possible  till 
further  news  arrived.  A  report  was  issued  that  General 
Earle's  column  had  passed  beyond  the  fourth  cataract,  and 
was  still  moving  onward. 

The  silence  was  broken  on  the  evening  of  Wednesday, 
the  28th  January,  when  telegrams  were  published  announc- 
ing the  fact  that  an  engagement  had  taken  place  at 
Metemmeh,  that  Stewart  was  dangerously  wounded,  that 
the  fighting  had  been  very  severe,  and  five  of  the  Mahdi's 
Emirs  were  killed ;  but  that  communication  had  been 
established  with  General  Gordon,  and  that  Sir  Charles 
^^'ilson  had  gone  to  Khartoum. 

The  whole  of  this  news  was  subsequently  confirmed. 
General  Stewart's  force,  after  the  battle  of  Abu  Klea,  pushed 
on  to  a  point  about  five  miles  south  of  Metemmeh.  The 
enemy  appeared  to  be  waiting  for  them,  and  as  they  were 
seen  approaching  in  great  numbers,  an  endeavor  was  at  once 
made  to  form  an  entrenchment  where  the  hospital  and 
baggage  might  be  placed  in  safety.  The  camels  were 
unloaded  and  a  fortification  was  thrown  up,  principally 
composed  of  the  saddles  and  baggage.  Sir  Herbert  Stewart 
sent  out  a  detachment  of  the  Hussars  in  the  direction  of 
Metemmeh.  While  the  zereba  was  being  formed,  the  enemy 
fired  iipon  the  men  at  their  work,  which  was  thereby  made 
exceedingly  dangerous.  Their  sharpshooters  were  concealed 
behind  bushes  and  by  tall  grass  on  all  sides,  and,  therefore, 
could  fire  with  effect.     Our  men,  were,  however,  not  prevented 


THE  END    OF   THE  STORY.  353 

from  working  at  the  fortification,  and  it  was  soon  thrown  up, 
the  hospital  being  placed  in  the  centre,  protected  by  guns. 
Sir  Herbert  Stewart  gave  orders  to  form  square  and  attack 
the  enemy  in  that  formation  ;  but  before  the  square  could  be 
completed,  the  general  was  struck  by  a  shot  from  the  enemy 
and  severely  wounded.  Almost  at  the  same  time.  Lieutenant 
C.  Crutchley,  of  the  Scots  Guards,  was  also  wounded,  and 
Mr.  St.  Leger  Herbert,  the  war  correspondent  of  the  Morn- 
ing Post,  was  killed.  Nor  was  he  alone ;  Mr.  Cameron  of 
the  Standard,  from  whose  reports  we  have  just  quoted,  and 
whose  graphic  accounts  were  always  read  with  interest,  was 
also  shot  through  the  back  and  killed  instantly. 

This  expedition  has  cost  many  lives,  and  few  men  were 
more  deeply  regretted  than  the  three  correspondents  who 
had  gone  with  the  others  to  the  seat  of  battle  in  the  interest 
of  the  public.  The  respective  papers  bore  testimony  to  the 
esteem  in  which  the  correspondents  were  held,  and  every 
reader  added  his  regrets. 

The  force  garrisoning  the  zereba  was  commanded  by  Lord 
Charles  Beresford,  and  for  two  hours  the  enemy  continued 
to  attack  it.  Twelve  of  our  men  were  killed,  and  more  than 
forty  wounded. 

As  General  Stewart  could  no  longer  continue  in  charge  of 
the  column,  Sir  Charles  Wilson  assumed  the  command.  The 
men  marched  in  square  amid  a  storm  of  bullets  towards  the 
Nile.  The  enemy  came  upon  them  in  great  force,  directing 
their  fire  especially  against  the  Foot  Guards  and  the  Naval 
Brigade,  who  returned  the  fire,  while  the  Royal  Artillery 
played  upon  the  enemy  with  terrible  effect.  This  arrested 
the  enemy,  but  several  times  their  leaders  rallied  them,  and 
led  them  forward,  until  at  last  they  were  finally  repulsed  and 
drew  off  towards  Metemmch,  leaving  several  hundred  dead 
behind  them.     Before  the  British  started  they  buried  their 


354  GENERAL    GORDON. 

dead.  The  correspondents  of  the  different  papers  bore  sadly 
to  the  grave  the  bodies  of  Mr.  Cameron  and  Mr.  Herbert, 
Lord  Charles  Beresford  reading  the  burial  service.  At  sun- 
set the  enemy  ceased  firing,  but  a  most  anxious  night  was 
spent,  the  call  to  stand  to  arms  coming  once  in  the  darkness. 
The  next  morning  the  main  body  estabUshed  itself  upon  the 
river.  The  wounded  were  carried  up  on  stretchers.  Event- 
ually the  forces  occupied  a  strongly  fortified  post  at  Gubat 
close  to  Metemmeh.  Opposite  Gubat  was  a  large  island 
with  plenty  of  green  forage  for  horses  and  camels.  Lord 
Wolseley  considered  that  Gubat  could  be  held  against  any 
force  that  the  Mahdi  could  send  to  attack  it.  A  hospital 
was  established  for  the  care  of  the  wounded  near  Metemmeh, 
Metemmeh  itself  being  occupied  by  about  two  thousand  of 
the  rebels. 

On  the  following  day,  to  the  great  joy  of  all,  four  of  Gen- 
eral Gordon's  steamers  came  from  Khartoum,  having  on 
board  five  hundred  soldiers  and  five  guns.  Thus  reinforced, 
the  troops  made  an  attack  upon  Metemmeh,  but  without 
success.  They  however,  with  a  number  of  black  troops,  two 
companies  of  mounted  infantry,  and  six  guns,  bombarded 
Shendy  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  destroyed  it. 

The  Mahdi  was  said  to  have  6000  men  near  Khartoum, 
and  it  was  felt  that  General  Earle's  force  was  certain  to  en- 
counter opposition  at  Berti,  and  again  near  Berber,  but  it 
was  still  the  general  belief  that  the  worst  was  over,  and  Khar- 
toum would  shortly  be  reached. 

General  Stewart  was  taken  on  board  one  of  the  steamers, 
and  Lieutenant  Crutchley  was  with  him.  The  hospital  tent 
was  pitched  on  the  bank,  and  the  wounded  placed  in  com- 
fortable beds.  They  appeared  to  be  doing  well.  Lord 
Hartington  telegraphed  to  Lord  Wolseley  :  — 

"  I  have  received  the  Queen's  gracious  commands  to  ex- 


THE  END    OF   THE   STORY.  355 

press  her  satisfaction  and  warm  tlianks  to  her  brave  troops, 
and  her  deep  concern  for  their  losses  and  sufferings,  and  es- 
pecially for  General  Stewart's  severe  wound.  Her  Majesty 
has,  in  consideradon  of  that  officer's  gallant  services,  been 
pleased  to  promote  him  to  the  rank  of  Major-General." 

The  next  news  that  reached  England  was  the  occupation 
of  Berti  by  General  Earle's  column.  Generals  Earle  and 
Butler  had  reconnoitred  the  position,  and  a  deserter  had 
told  them  that  the  enemy  had  evacuated  the  village.  This 
story  they  found  to  be  true,  and  the  British  took  possession 
of  Berti  without  opposition. 

"  A  few  hours  more  and  Gordon  will  be  relieved."  These 
were  the  words  on  the  lips  of  the  people  on  Thursday  morn- 
ing, 6th  February.  Lord  Wolseley  had  telegraphed  that  he 
had  received  one  line  from  him  to  say  that  Khartoum  was  all 
right,  and  he  could  hold  out  for  years.  There  seemed  no 
need  for  anxiety,  for  the  end  was  all  but  gained ;  when  sud- 
denly, without  any  preparation,  a  terrible  blow  fell  upon  us. 
The  morning  papers  of  5th  February  had  nothing  new  to 
publish,  the  most  interesting  items  of  news  being  that  Lord 
Wolseley  had  declared  that  the  prize  of  ^^loo  which  he  had 
offered  to  the  regiment  that  should  make  the  quickest  pas- 
sage from  Surras  to  Debbeh  had  been  gained  by  the  first 
battalion  of  the  Royal  Irish. 

But  early  in  the  day,  first  London,  and  then  England,  was 
startled  and  shocked  by  the  dread  fill  tidings  that  Khartoum 
had  been  captured  by  the  Mahdi,  and  that  the  fate  of  Gen- 
eral Gordon  was  unknown. 

The  excitement  in  the  Metropolis  cannot  be  described. 
People  thronged  to  the  newspaper  ofiices,  and  an  anxious 
crowd  gathered  round  the  War  Office  in  Pall  Mall.  Further 
details  were  demanded  with  intense  eagerness.  These  were 
forthcoming,  and  the  whole  story  was  too  soon  confirmed. 


356  GENERAL    GORDON. 

Khartoum  was  only  thirty-six  hours  from  Metemmeh,  and 
on  the  24th  of  January  Sir  Charles  Wilson,  Captain  Trafford, 
and  twenty  men  of  the  Sussex  Regiment,  with  three  hundred 
and  twenty  of  Gordon's  faithful  Soudanese,  left  Metemmeh 
in  three  of  Gordon's  steamers,  in  order  to  accomplish  the 
journey.  As  they  neared  Khartoum  they  found  themselves 
passing  through  hostile  forces  relentlessly  pouring  fire  upon 
them.  As  they  approached  Omdurman  they  discovered 
that  the  report  of  its  being  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy  was 
true.  Four  Krupp  guns  had  been  placed  on  the  banks  at 
Halfiyeh,  and  their  fire  was  directed  against  the  little  party 
pluckily  making  their  way  up  to  the  capital.  Alas  !  not  only 
Halfiyeh  and  Omdurman,  but  also  the  Island  of  Tufti,  which 
lies  just  outside  of  Khartoum,  had  been  appropriated  by  the 
Mahdi.  Notwithstanding  all  these  facts,  Sir  Charles  Wilson 
and  his  party  steamed  on,  and  managed  to  get  within  eight 
hundred  yards  of  Khartoum,  but  then,  to  their  great  dismay, 
instead  of  the  welcome  which  they  hoped  for  from  brave 
Gordon  and  his  followers,  they  saw  thousands  of  Arabs  wildly 
waving  flags,  and  a  storm  of  shot  was  poured  upon  them 
from  twelve  guns  and  about  a  thousand  rifles.  Friends 
nowhere,  enemies  on  all  hands — this  was  the  state  of  things 
found  by  the  relieving  party  who  had  reached  the  capital. 

The  truth  flashed  upon  them  that  the  Mahdi  must  have 
gained  admission  to  the  city,  and  everything  confirmed  this 
impression.  No  flags  were  flying  from  the  public  buildings, 
and  the  Palace,  in  which  Gordon  had  lived,  was  gutted. 

Sir  Charles  Wilson  and  his  men,  knowing  it  to  be  impos- 
sible to  land  in  the  face  of  such  an  overwhelming  enemy, 
were  compelled  to  retreat  out  of  the  range  of  the  guns.  But 
as  they  were  making  their  way  back  the  steamers  were 
wrecked  some  miles  below  the  Shabukla  cataract;  the  whole 
party,   however,   were  saved,   and   landtMl    in    safety   on   an 


THE   END    OF   THE   STORY.  357 

island.  The  wrecking  of  the  boats  was  due  to  the  treachery 
of  the  pilots.  A  man,  second  in  command  of  the  Soudanese, 
Abdul  Hamid  Bey,  managed  to  escape,  and  ran  away. 
Treachery  was  the  foe  before  which  the  expedition  had 
failed. 

Sir  Charles  Wilson  and  his  party  were  three  days  on  the 
island  on  which  they  had  been  wrecked.  A  messenger  who 
went  ashore  took  the  news  to  Gubat,  which  he  reached  on 
foot,  and  the  disastrous  tidings  were  at  once  forwarded  to 
Lord  Wolseley.  Lieutenant  Stewart  Wortley,  who  had  been 
with  Sir  Charles  Wilson,  also  reached  Gubat  in  a  small  boat, 
and  confirmed  the  terrible  news.  The  only  thing  that 
seemed  for  the  moment  possible  was  at  once  attempted, 
namely,  the  rescue  of  Wilson  and  his  men.  On  the  ist  of 
February  Lord  Charles  Beresford  left  Aboo  Krou,  flying  the 
British  ensign  on  board  General  Gordon's  steamer  Sofia, 
and  taking  two  Gardner  guns,  detachments  of  Blue  Jackets 
and  Mounted  Infantry  under  Lieutenant  Bowe,  and  some 
natives.  The  steamer  went  on  successfully  until  she  was 
within  three  miles  of  the  island  where  Sir  Charles  Wilson 
and  his  party  were ;  and  then  two  guns,  which  had  been 
mounted  in  embrasures  on  a  level  with  the  water,  opened 
fire,  and  riflemen  lining  the  banks  seconded  the  attack. 
The  steamer  returned  the  fire,  and  had  almost  got  out  of 
the  danger,  when  a  round  shot  went  through  the  boiler. 
Enough  steam  remained  to  enable  the  vessel  to  go  five  hun- 
dred yards  further  up  the  river,  and  more  out  of  reach  of 
the  enemy's  fire.  Then  the  vessel  was  at  once  anchored, 
and  Lord  Charles  Beresford  ordered  the  men  to  proceed  to 
repair  the  boiler ;  the  sailors  in  the  meantime  shifting  the 
guns  to  the  stern,  and  continuing  to  fire  upon  the  enemy. 
Sir  Charles  Wilson,  who  was  anxiously  watching  from  tlie 
island,  seeing  a  dense  cloud  of  steam  rise,  concluded  that 


358  GENERAL    GORDON. 

the  boiler  had  burst ;  he  therefore  landed  his  party,  guns, 
etc.,  on  the  opposite  bank  from  that  on  which  the  enemy 
was  placed,  and  marched  down  to  the  point  nearly  opposite 
the  battery,  and  assisted  Lord  Beresford  in  silencing  the 
enemy's  guns.  A  nuggar  on  which  Captain  Gascoigne 
started  from  the  island,  bearing  several  guns  and  a  consid- 
erable quantity  of  ammunition,  was  grounded  upon  a  rock, 
in  a  position  which  placed  it  in  imminent  peril  from  the 
enemy.  Every  effort  to  get  it  off  proved  ineffectual,  and  it 
had  to  remain  all  night  on  the  rock.  Fighting  went  on 
until  sunset.  At  night  Lord  Charles  Beresford's  steamer  was 
rapidly  repaired,  and  Sir  Charles  Wilson  marched  his  men 
three  miles  lower  down  from  the  river,  and  encamped  for 
the  night.  In  the  morning  Lieutenant  Keppel,  R.N.,  started 
off  from  Lord  Charles  Beresford's  steamer  with  a  boat-load 
of  sailors  to  the  assistance  of  the  nuggar.  The  men  threw 
all  their  energy  into  the  work,  and  by  their  skill  and  perse- 
verance got  the  vessel  clear  of  the  rock.  This  piece  of 
gallant  work  was  done  under  heavy  fire  from  the  enemy, 
who  gave  much  attention  to  the  operations  of  the  sailors ; 
but  Lord  Charles,  under  a  continuous  fire,  towed  the  craft 
triumphantly  away.  Lord  Charles  Beresford  then  steamed 
down  the  river  to  the  spot  where  Sir  Charles  Wilson  and  his 
men  were  encamped,  and  there  stopped  and  took  the  whole 
party  on  board,  after  which  they  went  on  to  Gubat,  which 
place  they  all  reached  in  safety. 

The  next  fighting  news  referred  to  General  Earle's  col- 
umn, and  stated  that  the  gallant  officer  was  killed.  The 
Black  Watch,  the  South  Staffordshire  regiment,  and  others, 
reached  Dulka  Island,  and  at  once  prepared  for  the  enemy, 
who  was  known  to  be  near  in  strong  force.  While  they 
were  preparing  a  zareba  the  rebels  opened  fire  ;  but  the 
pickets  drove  them  back.     The  night  was  coming  on,  and 


THE  END    OF  THE   STORY.  359 

an  outpost  was  stationed  ready  for  an  attack ;  but  the  night 
passed  quietly.  In  the  morning  the  troops  went  out  to 
meet  the  Arabs,  and  the  fight  commenced.  The  ground 
was  very  difficult,  but  the  troops  drove  back  the  enemy, 
until  they  were  surrounded.  The  enemy  occupied  a  high 
hill  of  rocks,  and  loopholed  walls  strengthened  their  posi- 
tion. Seeing  that  it  was  impossible  to  dislodge  them  other- 
wise. General  Earle  gave  orders  to  the  Black  Watch  to  carry 
the  position  with  the  bayonet.  The  pipers  struck  up,  and 
the  Highlanders  responded  so  gallantly  that  the  General, 
who  was  himself  leading,  could  not  repress  an  exclamation 
of  admiration.  It  was  almost  his  last  speech,  for,  as  the 
Black  Watch  rushed  on  and  drove  the  enemy  from  their 
shelter.  General  Earle  fell  as  he  reached  the  summit,  and 
never  knew  how  completely  was  the  victory  gained  that  day. 

But  what  of  the  hero  of  the  Soudan?  Was  Gordon  really 
a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  Mahdi  ?  or  was  he  killed  when 
the  garrison  he  had  defended  so  nobly  fell  ? 

These  questions  were  agitating  not  only  all  England,  but 
the  whole  world.  The  anguish  of  suspense  was  scarcely  to 
be  borne  :  such  days  were  like  a  lifetime  of  anxiety,  and 
every  fresh  edition  of  the  papers,  every  scrap  of  news,  was 
read  with  an  eagerness  which  proved  that  General  Gordon 
was  not  only  a  hero  to  be  admired,  but  a  man  to  be  loved. 

The  reports  were  very  conflicting.  At  first  it  was  said 
that  he  was  a  prisoner  in  the  power  of  the  Mahdi,  and  hopes 
were  entertained  that  this  might  be  so,  as  in  that  case  he 
could  be  ransomed.  His  friends  believed  that  the  Mahdi 
himself  would  not  treat  him  cruelly,  for  it  was  known  that  he 
felt  much  personal  esteem  for  him.  It  was  even  reported 
that  he  had,  with  great  glee,  declared  that  General  Gordon 
had  adopted  his  uniform,  and  become  a  Mohammedan.  It 
was  also  said  that  he  had  taken  refuge  in  a  Catholic  church 


360  GENERAL    GORDON. 

with  some  Greeks,  and  was  still  holding  out.  All  felt  that  if 
he  lived  he  must  be  rescued  at  any  cost.  A  spirit  of  most 
intense  and  enthusiastic  admiration  of  the  man  took  posses- 
sion of  all  people,  and  the  papers  were  filled  with  laudatory 
notices,  which  praise  might  have  been  considered  exaggera- 
ted but  for  the  fact  that  the  matchless  man  deserved  the 
highest  that  could  be  said  of  him. 

The  five  or  six  days  of  suspense  passed  at  last,  and  on 
the  nth  of  February  the  newspapers,  some  of  which  were 
put  into  mourning,  announced  the  heavy  tidings  that  the 
dreaded  calamity  had  really  fallen  upon  us  —  General  Gor- 
don was  dead,  and  the  whole  garrison  massacred. 

The  papers  declared  that  the  catastrophe  had  been 
entirely  brought  about  by  treachery.  The  little  band  of 
faithful  adherents  had  remained  loyal  to  their  commander, 
and  shared  with  him  the  hope  that  a  few  days  would  see 
the  end  of  their  troubles,  and  bring  safety  and  reward.  But 
General  Gordon's  fears  of  treachery,  as  expressed  in  the  last 
sentence  of  the  previous  chapter,  were  verified.  It  seems 
almost  certain  that  the  five  hundred  deserters  from  the 
Mahdi's  troops  were  really  loyal  still  to  their  old  leader,  and 
traitors  to  their  new  master.  If  this  be  so,  Khartoum  had 
to  all  intents  for  some  time  been  in  the  power  of  the  Mahdi  ; 
and  whenever  the  British  troops  approached,  the  doom  of 
the  city  and  its  heroic  defender  was  sealed.  We  could 
almost  hope  that  it  was  so,  for  that  Gordon  should  be  lost 
because  the  troops  were  two  days  late,  is  too  dreadful  to 
contemplate. 

However  that  may  be,  the  stories  that  have  since  been 
told  confirm  the  opinion  entertained  from  the  first  in  regard 
to  the  treachery  of  some  of  Gordon's  troops.  His  most 
trusted  officer,  Kashim  Elmoos,  remained  true  to  the  last, 
but  Almud  Ahmed  deserted.  And  there  was  another  man,  a 
traitor,  whose  name  will  for  ever  be  covered  with  infamy. 


THE  END    OF  THE   STORY.  361 

Faragh  Pasha,  who  commanded  the  Soudani  troops,  had 
been  a  betrayer  throughout.  General  Gordon  had  reason 
to  mistrust  him.  On  a  previous  occasion  treason  was 
proved  against  him,  and  he  was  condemned  to  death.  He 
begged  so  passionately  for  pardon,  he  uttered  such  strong 
protestations  of  attachment  to  General  Gordon,  that  the 
latter,  who  had  always  hoped  the  best  and  judged  generously, 
forgave  and  reinstated  him.  But  it  is  said  to  have  been 
this  man,  who  owed  his  life  to  General  Gordon,  who  opened 
the  gates  to  the  Mahdi  and  his  forces.  Another  treacherous 
pasha  marched  the  Khartoum  garrison  to  the  Omdurman 
side  of  the  city,  telling  them  that  they  must  be  ready  for  an 
attack  which  the  Mahdi's  troops  were  expected  to  make 
there  :  and  as  soon  as  they  were  well  out  of  the  way,  Faragh 
Pasha  opened  the  gates  of  Khartoum,  and  the  Mahdi's  forces 
swarmed  in.  As  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  General  Gordon 
was  in  the  Government  House  at  the  time,  and  hearing  the 
unusual  commotion  in  the  street,  he  —  perhaps  hoping  that 
the  British  had  really  arrived  at  last  to  rescue  him  —  ad- 
vanced to  the  door,  and  was  killed  on  the  threshold.  The 
correspondent  of  the  Daily  Chronicle  said  :  — 

"  The  Mahdi's  troops  —  the  wild  hunters  of  Kordofan  and 
those  Cossacks  of  the  Soudan,  the  Baggara  horsemen  — 
rushed  in  swelling  hordes  into  the  devoted  city,  and  the 
word  was  given  to  slay.  A  massacre  of  indescribable  ferocity 
followed.  Those  who  had  remained  faithful  to  the  gallant 
Englishman  who  had  stood  between  them  and  the  knife  so 
long,  regardless  of  age  or  sex,  were  ruthlessly  butchered. 
The  women,  for  the  most  part,  were  murdered  in  cold  blood, 
and  little  children  were  spitted  on  the  Arab  spears  in  pure 
wantonness.  All  those  relatives  of  the  faithful  five  hundred 
under  Nusri  Pasha,  who  met  and  assisted  us  at  Gubat, 
shared  the  general  fate.     From  the  accounts  of  an  eye-wit- 


362  GENERAL    GORDON. 

ness  who  boarded  Sir  Charles  Wilson's  steamer  on  the  return 
voyage  from  Khartoum  it  would  appear  that  '  for  an  entire 
day  the  streets  of  the  city  ran  with  blood  ' ;  but  allowing 
for  Oriental  exaggeration,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
scene  of  carnage  which  followed  the  entry  of  the  Mahdi's 
fierce  warriors  into  the  city  which  had  defied  them  so 
long,  was  one  of  unparalleled  horror  since  the  days  of 
Tamerlane." 

And  so,  if  these  reports  are  true,  the  brave  hero  had  at 
last  died  a  martyr's  death.  He  must  have  expected  it  again 
and  again.  It  is  known  that  from  the  first,  when  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  request  of  the  Government  he  started  on  his 
perilous  mission,  he  had  a  foreboding  that  he  might  never 
return.  But  the  foreboding  did  not  in  the  least  deter  him 
from  going.  Nor  did  it  make  him  the  less  resolute  in  his 
determination  to  hold  out  in  Khartoum,  and  fulfil  his  duty 
toward  those  who  trusted  him. 

Writing  to  his  sister  on  nth  March,  1884,  General  Gordon 
said  :  "  Remember  our  Lord  did  not  promise  success  or 
peace  in  this  life.  He  promised  tribulation,  so  if  things  do 
not  go  well  after  the  flesh.  He  still  is  fiiithful.  He  will  do 
all  in  love  and  mercy  to  me.  My  part  is  to  submit  to  His 
will,  however  dark  it  may  be."  That  was  the  philosophy  of 
his  life,  and  "  however  dark  it  may  be,"  that  strong  faith 
shines  ever  like  a  pillar  of  fire  in  a  dark  and  desolate  wilder- 
ness. 

Gordon  was  true  to  God  and  duty ;  and  he  was  also  true 
to  the  Soudanese.  Forced  sometimes  by  the  cruel  exigen- 
cies of  war  to  do  things  which  his  humane  soul  must  have 
abhorred,  he  was  yet  a  loyal  Christian,  who,  in  the  spirit  of 
his  Master,  loved  the  people  among  whom  he  lived,  and  was 
willing  to  die  for  them.  He  said  repeatedly,  before  leaving 
London  for  the   last  time,  "  /  would  give  my  life  for  these 


A 

THE^-N-B^-ffF'THE   STORY.  363 

poor  people  of  the  Soudan.  How  can  I  help  feeling  for 
them  ?  All  the  time  I  was  there,  every  night  I  used  to  pray 
that  God  would  lay  upon  me  the  burden  of  their  sins,  and 
crush  me  with  it  instead  of  these  poor  sheep.  I  really  wished 
it  and  longed  for  it''' 

We  may  not  dare  to  say  that  God  did  not  hear  and 
answer  this  passionate,  oft-repeated  prayer.  General  Gor- 
don, unless,  happily,  the  reports  prove  false,  has  laid  down 
his  life  for  the  Soudanese ;  nay,  he  has  yielded  it  to  them  ; 
for  it  was  the  very  people  for  whom  he  was  willing  to  die 
that  treacherously  slew  him.  He  has  crowned  his  life  of 
self-sacrifice  by  a  hero's  death.  Again  and  again  it  was 
urged  that  he  might  have  come  away  from  Khartoum  if  he 
had  chosen ;  but  he  chose  death  rather  than  desert  the  little 
band  of  his  followers,  who  could  not  all  have  got  away,  and 
who  remained  faithful  to  him.  So  he  stayed,  weary  himself, 
but  striving  to  cheer  them  ;  weighed  down  by  anxiety  and 
worn  out  in  the  endeavor  to  save,  at  any  cost,  the  lives  of 
the  people  of  Khartoum ;  hoping  day  by  day  for  rescue, 
and  increasing  his  own  risk  by  sending  assistance  to  those 
who  were  coming  to  his  aid  ;  until  at  last  relief  was  so  near 
that  he  only  waited  to  hear  the  hearty  greeting  of  any 
Englishman  who  should  be  the  first  to  grasp  his  hand  and 
receive  his  thanks.  And  then,  instead  of  the  friendly  faces 
of  the  English,  he  saw  —  but  only  for  a  moment  —  the  hos- 
tile numbers  and  the  flashing  steel.  So  much  at  least  we 
imagine ;  but  of  this  we  are  certain,  that  if  he  is  dead,  he 
heard  above  the  clash  and  the  roar  the  voice  of  his  Com- 
mander ending  the  struggle  of  His  true  soldier,  and  bestow- 
ing upon  him  his  reward,  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful 
servant :  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things  :  I  will 
make  thee  ruler  over  many  things  :  enter  into  the  joy  of  thy 
Lord." 


364  GENERAL    GORDON. 

We  cannot  forbear  quoting  t\vo  out  of  a  hundred  tributes 
of  the  press :  — 

The  Daily  Telegraph  said  :  "  We  fear  we  shall  see  the 
face  of  Gordon  no  more.  In  such  a  case,  the  noble  story  of 
his  life  has  been  terminated  by  a  death  as  dutiful,  as 
unselfish,  as  heroic  as  a  gentleman  and  a  soldier  could  die. 
Faithful  unto  the  last  to  his  Queen,  to  his  country,  and  to 
his  desperate  task,  he  will  have  fallen  amid  the  garrison  and 
the  population  whom  he  struggled  to  save  —  matching  his 
mighty  heart,  in  solitude  and  abandonment,  against  all  the 
daily  dangers  which  beset  them.  He  will  have  attained  a 
rest  unspeakably  sanctified  by  sacrifice  and  devotion,  and 
will  have  left  a  name,  brightest,  like  the  setting  sun,  at  its 
moment  of  departure,  and  glorified  more  perfectly  by  failure 
than  that  of  other  heroes  has  been  by  success.  The  civi- 
lized world  will  mourn  for  him  along  with  England ;  for 
political  jealousy  has  grown  dumb  and  rivalries  were  forgotten' 
wherever  men  spoke  of  Charles  Gordon.  All  Christendom 
turned  its  eyes  to  that  lonely  Englishman  ready  to  ransom 
the  lives  of  his  black  people  by  his  own  blood,  and  compre- 
hended that  the  divine  story  of  its  Founder  had  found  a  new 
illustration.  If,  indeed,  he  be  dead,  the  world  is  poorer, 
and  humanity  at  large  has  cause  to  bewail ;  for  never  beat  a 
heart  more  gallant,  and  never  was  a  soldier  truer  to  his  flag 
or  Christian  to  his  faith." 

The  Daily  News  said  :  "  So  closes  a  career  which,  more 
than  any  other  in  modern  times,  has  aroused  the  hearty 
sympathy  and  affection  of  his  countrymen  and  the  admira- 
tion of  the  world.  The  age  of  chivalry  is  not  gone  :  it 
revives  again  in  Gordon's  history.  It  is  a  life  which  seems 
like  a  story  of  old  romance.  Arthur  and  the  Table  Round 
had  no  more  blameless  knight.  He  was  Lancelot  and 
Galahad  both  in  one.     He  has  died  in  the  service  of  his 


THE  END    OF   THE   STORY. 


365 


country,  and  his  admiring  countrymen  will  cherish  his 
memory  among  their  brightest  and  tenderest  recollections. 
He  has  brought  something  of  the  glamour  and  brightness  of 
the  heroic  ages  into  the  dull  realities  of  these  prosaic  times^X 
He  has  added  a  new  chapter  to  the  glorious  story  of  British 
heroism,  and  has  left  a  name  to  which  our  young  men  will 
look  back,  and  which  all  that  is  best  and  truest  among  us 
will  reverence,  so  long  as  truth,  and  faith,  and  self-devotion, 
and  a  lofty  sense  of  duty  stir  the  admiration  of  men  who  are 
worthy  to  call  themselves  his  countrymen.  This  nineteenth 
century  will  hand  down  to  posterity  no  higher  and  worthier 

\ 


and  no  more  lasting  fame." 


/// 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

A   CHRISTIAN    HERO. 

"  Heaven  doth  with  us  as  we  with  torches  do; 
Not  light  them  for  themselves :  for  if  our  virtues 
Did  not  go  forth  of  us,  'twere  all  alike 
As  if  we  had  them  not.     Spirits  are  not  finely  touched. 
But  to  fine  issues :   nor  nature  never  lends 
The  finest  scruple  of  her  excellence; 
But,  like  a  thrifty  goddess,  she  determines 
Herself  the  glory  of  a  creditor, 
Both  thanks  and  use." 

—  Measure  for  Measure. 

THE  life  of  such  a  man  as  General  Gordon  is  useful, 
not  only  for  the  help  of  nations,  but  for  their  instruc- 
tion also.  His  career  has  been  singularly  remarkable  ;  for 
again  and  again  he  has  been  singled  out  of  the  multitude, 
and  called  away  from  his  life  of  quietness,  as  the  only  man 
sufficient  for  a  crisis  which  affected  multitudes  of  people, 
and  more  or  less  touched  all  the  nations  of  the  world.  The 
very  fact  of  his  being  so  frequently  in  request  in  emergencies 
that  had  arisen  proves  that  he  had  the  power  to  meet  them, 
and  not  only  the  power,  but  the  willingness  also.  And  yet 
his  life  can  scarcely  have  been  what  he  would  himself  have 
chosen ;  but,  indeed,  the  whole  tenor  of  it  is  an  exemplifica- 
tion of  his  own  firm  belief  that  every  individual  is  under  the 
control  of  a  directing  Providence,  who  orders  the  event  and 


A    CHRISTIAN  HERO.  367 

chooses  the  lot.  And  his  conduct  throughout  is  an  illustra- 
tion of  the  way  in  which  the  Christian  should  fall  in  with 
the  designs  of  Him  who  is  the  ruler  of  the  universe,  and  the 
guide  of  the  individual. 

And  therefore  his  biography  is  a  lesson.  We  may  get 
from  him,  as  from  all  good  men  and  women,  lights  to  guide 
us  in  the  formation  of  our  characters,  and  the  direction  of 
our  actions.  To  the  young  especially,  who  desire  to  make 
the  best  of  their  lives,  an  account  of  Gordon  and  his  work 
cannot  be  other  than  useful ;  and  if  they  will  stop  to  ask 
what  has  made  him  great,  they  will  be  able  to  discover  in 
him  the  qualities  out  of  which  all  heroes  are  made.  That 
which  is  most  pronounced,  and  was  the  foundation  of  his 
usefulness  in  China,  Gravesend,  and  the  Soudan,  is  undoubt- 
edly the 

Singleness  of  Purpose 

which  always  governs  him.  It  has  never  entered  into  his 
mind  to  suppose  that  a  man  should  live  to  himself;  but  he 
has  felt  from  his  boyhood  that  his  one  duty  and  delight  was 
to  live  for  God.  He  has  gone  where  he  has  been  sent 
always  with  the  single  intention  of  doing  his  duty  there. 
That  he  found  himself,  as  he  often  did,  in  circumstances  of 
great  discomfort  and  danger  affected  him  very  little,  and 
only  made  him. the  more  resolute  to  rise  to  the  demands  of 
the  case.  Often  a  weaker  man  would  have  run  away  from 
the  intricacies  and  perplexities  that  beset  him  ;  but  Gordon 
never  thought  of  withdrawing  from  any  position  because  of 
its  embarrassments.  On  the  contrary,  he  always  elected  to 
remain  until  the  entanglement  was  at  an  end,  and  the  way 
smooth  for  his  successor. 

"Others   sow,  and  one  will  reap  all  the  success  of  their 
labors."     "A  man  here  must  be  prepared  to  find  a  week's 


I 


368  GENERAL    GORDON. 

negotiation  fall  to  the  ground  in  a  minute,  and  all  his  work 
to  be  gone  over  again.  It  is  this  continual  failure  of  one's 
efforts  which  tempts  one  to  despair,  until  one  realizes  that 
one  must  never  count  on  anything  till  it  is  performed."  But 
he  did  not  despair.  He  took  things  as  they  came,  fulfilling 
the  day's  duties,  and  leaving  the  rest  to  God.  "  I  know 
tliat  I  have  done  my  very  best,  as  far  as  my  intellect  has 
allowed  me,  for  the  Khedive,  and  have  tried  to  be  just  to 
all."  "  Difficulties  make  my  spirits  rise,  and  I  feel  quite 
lively  over  my  innumerable  troubles."  "If  you  are  mis- 
judged, why  trouble  yourself  to  put  yourself  right?  You 
have  no  idea  what  a  deal  of  trouble  it  saves  you."  "  God  is 
the  sole  ruler,  and  I  try  to  walk  sincerely  before  Him." 
This  singleness  of  purpose  has  no  doubt  kept  the  man 
steady  and  true  to  his  principles  amid  all  the  changes  of 
his  most  eventful  life.  It  is  this  that  has  made  him  so 
willingly,  and  without  delay,  put  down  one  kind  of  work 
and  take  up  another  —  remove  from  one  place,  and  settle 
complacently  in  a  distant  land  —  be  sometimes  a  king,  and 
sometimes  a  servant,  as  circumstances,  or  rather  as  God, 
directed. 

Great  as  these  changes  have  been  they  have  made  no 
change  in  him  ;  they  have  not  really  touched  his  inner  life 
at  all.  Charles  Gordon  has  been  precisely  the  same  man, 
leading  his  armies  to  victory  in  China,  teaching  boys  in  the 
Ragged  School  at  Gravesend,  or  riding  over  the  deserts  on 
the  swift-footed  camel.  It  was  very  much  the  same  to  him 
whatever  he  did,  for  he  was  just  a  child  obeying  his  father, 
a  servant  gladly  and  reverently  obeying  his  master.  And, 
added  to  his  singleness  of  purpose,  were  the  invaluable  quali- 
fications of 

Diligence  and  Self-Help. 

General  Gordon  cannot  be  idle.     He  has  had  very  few 


A    CHRISTIAN  HERO.  369 

opportunities,  but  when  they  have  come  he  has  been  only 
eager  to  break  away  from  them.  He  feels  that  the  day 
is  given  for  work,  wherever  the  day  may  find  us.  He  hesi- 
tated at  nothing,  and  took  the  work  as  it  came,  whether  it 
was  waving  the  rebel  Wangs  into  submission  with  his  magic 
cane  or  pulling  a  boat  through  the  water.  Whatever  was 
worth  doing  at  all  he  considered  was  worth  doing  well.  "  I 
would  sooner,  I  think,  have  the  Saubat  Government  than  the 
whole  Government.  To  do  anything,  there  is  nothing  like 
beginning  on  a  small  scale,  and  directing  your  energy,  like  a 
squirt,  on  one  particular  thing.  I  have  made  such  a  pair  of 
trousers  for  one  of  the  Blacks,  and  the  housewives  are  so 
useful." 

We  find  him  sometimes  weary  of  overwork.  He  knew  as 
well  in  the  Soudan  as  any  one  can  know  in  England  the 
meaning  of  over-pressure  ;  and  now  and  then  he  got  quite 
bewildered  with  the  amount  of  duties  that  were  upon  him. 
On  one  occasion  at  least  he  could  not  sleep,  for  when  he  lay 
down  the  strain  ujoon  him  during  the  day  had  been  so 
severe,  that  at  night,  instead  of  sleeping,  he  was  in  imagin- 
ation reading  petitions,"  finding  measures  of  relief  for  the 
oppressed  and  punishing  the  guilty.  But  he  would  rather 
have  been  overworked  than  idle. 

The  days  when  he  had  little  to  do  were  the  most  irksome 
of  his  life,  and  we  find  him  resorting  to  all  kinds  of  occupa- 
tion rather  than  do  nothing.  Not  only  did  he  set  himself 
to  do  a  little  tailoring,  as  we  have  seen,  but  on  one  occasion 
he  made  two  good  rocket  cases,  and  on  another  he  repaired 
some  clocks,  pulling  them  to  i)ieces  and  putting  them  to- 
gether again  in  good  workman's  style,  though  he  confessed 
himself  beaten  by  a  watch  and  a  cuckoo  clock.  No  work 
came  amiss  to  him,  though  he  was  certainly  at  his  best  when 
the  work  was  great.     He  got  into  good  spirits  when  accom- 


370  GENERAL   GORDON. 

plishing  a  tremendous  march,  or  quelling  a  mutiny,  or  set- ' 
tling  a  few  scores  of  people  who  came  to  him  with  requests. 

He  has  always  proved  himself  a  very  painstaking  and  per- 
sistent worker.  They  say  at  Gravesend  that  he  never  took  a 
poor  boy  in  hand  to  forget  him  afterwards,  as  so  many  well- 
meaning  people  do.  He  rescued  the  boys,  then  he  taught 
them,  then  he  found  situations  for  them,  going  to  London 
often  on  their  account,  seeing  captains,  Poking  into  all  mat- 
ters that  concerned  them,  and  giving  them  a  cheery  good- 
bye as  they  went  away.  Surely  then  he  had  finished  with 
them  !  Oh  no.  He  wrote  letters  to  them,  to  reach  them  at 
the  different  ports  at  which  the  ships  would  call,  and  he  fol- 
lowed them  with  his  thoughts  and  his  prayers  all  round  the 
world  until  they  were  home  again,  and  he  could  see  for  him- 
self the  state  in  which  they  were.  And  the  same  unwearying 
energy  and  thoroughness  characterized  all  his  work.  He 
has  known  the  importance  of  giving  personal  attention  to  the 
details  of  the  business  in  hand,  as  well  as  to  its  broader  fea- 
tures ;  and  he  has  taken  pains  with  the  task  whether  in  itself 
the  occupation  was  pleasant  or  unpleasant,  agreeable  or  the 
reverse.  He  has  brought  the  high  aims  of  his  life  to  bear 
upon  all  duties,  the  little  as  well  as  the  great ;  and  none  can 
read  his  life  without  seeing  that  it  has  been  based  on  Paul's 
advice  to  Timothy,  "  Study  to  show  thyself  approved  unto 
God  a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed^ 

He  sometimes  got  a  little  impatient  of  others,  for  it  hap- 
pened very  frequently  that  he  had  none  but  most  incapable 
people  about  him.  They  were  so  slow  that  he  was  always 
before  them  ;  and  often  so  stupid  that  he  took  the  work 
from  their  hands  and  did  it  himself.  On  one  occasion  his 
servant  left  him  ;  and  he  said,  "  So  much  the  better  !  The 
best  servant  I  ever  had  is  myself :  he  always  does  what  I 
like."     He  had  a  great  objection  to  being  treated  like*  a 


A    CHRISTIAN  HERO.  371 

Czar,  and  having  everything  done  for  him.  He  had  no 
patience  with  the  number  of  servants  or  hangers-on  that 
were  supposed  to  be  necessary  to  a  Ti-tu  or  a  Pasha.  If 
he  wanted  a  thing  done  he  dehghted  in  doing  it  himself; 
if  the  action  shocked  the  prejudices  of  people  who  were 
particular  in  regard  to  etiquette  he  hked  it  all  the  better. 
Indeed,  few  things  are  more  marked  in  General  Gordon 
than  this 

Strong  Common  Sense, 

which  is  always  coming  to  the  front,  and  which  helps  him 
over  many  difficulties.  He  says  in  one  of  his  letters  that 
the  Soudan  soldiers  like  nothing  better  than  watching  him. 
They  stared  so  that  he  had  to  suffer  a  little  as  royalty  does  ; 
but,  he  added,  "  Yet  I  am  not  like  royalty  a  bit,  for  I  cleaned 
a  duck  gun  in  public  to-day.  I  will  be  natural,  cofite  que 
cotlte,  and  I  am  quite  sure  I  cleaned  the  gun  better  than  any 
Arab  would."  His  common  sense  is  brought  to  bear  upon 
everything,  even  upon  his  religion.  He  is  said  to  be  a  mys- 
tic ;  but  he  sees  things  more  clearly  than  most  people,  both 
as  regards  life  and  revelation.  His  belief  in  God  does  not 
in  the  least  interfere  with  his  own  self-reliance.  He  quite 
believes  that  he  has  power  given  him  to  do  the  work  that 
has  been  placed  in  his  reach,  and  although  he  knows  that  he 
is  only  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  another,  the  tool  is  a  very  intel- 
hgent  one,  that  does  his  work  well. 

His  great  intelligence  and  common-sense  have  made  him 
able  to  deal  successfully  with  so  many  kinds  of  people.  He 
has  had  the  penetration  which  enables  persons  to  read 
others,  and  know  exactly  how  to  manage  them.  He  is  trust- 
ing to  this  now,  in  his  mission  to  the  Soudan.  He  can  be  firm 
and  immovable  as  a  rock,  even  when  a  host  is  against  him, 
if  a  question  of  right  be  involved.     But  he  will  not  set  the 


372  GENERAL    GORDON. 

host  against  him  if  he  can  help  it.  "  With  all  due  deference 
to  what  the  son  of  Michael  said  about  the  stockade  having 
been  made  six  months  ago,  I  cannot  help  seeing  that  the 
wood  of  which  it  is  composed  is  gfeen,  and  recently  cut." 
But  he  did  not  say  so  to  Michael.  He  exclaimed  once, 
"  Oh,  dear  !  what  a  people  to  slave  for  !  They  never  have 
a  knife,  nor  a  hammer,  nor  a  bit  of  yarn,  nor  anything  of  the 
sort.  They  have  not  the  least  idea  of  preventing  a  rope  run- 
ning out  too  rapidly ;  in  fact,  you  have,  as  it  were,  in  war 
to  teach  your  men  to  drill.''  Sometimes  he  got  angry,  and 
tried  to  shout  them  into  better  ways.  But  when  he  found 
that  this  was  not  the  wise  way  to  manage  them,  he  controlled 
himself,  and  endeavored  to  be  patient.  And  this  was  the 
more  possible  to  him,  notwithstanding  a  certain  warmth  of 
temper  which  he  undoubtedly  possesses,  because  his  heart  is 
full  of 

Kindness  and  Love  to  Others. 

He  is  following  in  the  very  footsteps  of  his  Lord,  for  he 
is  willing  to  lay  down  his  life  for  the  sake  of  any  poor 
creature  who  may  be  benefited  by  his  self-sacrifice.  His 
consecration  to  the  work  of  delivering  the  oppressed  is  very 
marked.  He  has  "  compassion  on  the  multitude,"  and  he 
cares  a  great  deal  more  for  the  poor,  and  the  outcast,  and 
the  afflicted,  than  for  any  other  portion  of  society.  He  has 
been  thanked  and  praised  by  kings,  and  persons  in  very  high 
jilaces  ;  but  we  can  believe  that  the  chalked  wish  on  the 
paling,  "  God  bless  the  Kernel,"  is  more  to  his  mind  than 
the  carefully  worded,  phrases  of  a  Prime  Minister. 

During  almost  the  whole  of  his  life,  the  poor  he  lias 
always  had  with  him,  and  whenever  he  could  he  has  done 
them  good.  He  has,  indeed,  been  going  about  doing  good 
for   many  years.     He    has   been    always  the   same   in  this 


A    CHRISTIAN  HERO.  373 

respect  as  in  others,  in  all  the  places  and  spheres  in  which 
he  has  been  called  to  live  :  in  China  sharing  among  his 
men  the  salary  that  was  paid  to  him ;  at  Gravesend  giving 
part  of  his  simple  meal  of  bread  and  tea  to  any  poor  lad 
who  was  hungry ;  in  the  Soudan  sparing  some  of  his  small 
stock  of  dhoora  for  the  slaves,  taking  care  of  the  little 
orphan  and  neglected  babies  that  he  found,  or  sheltering  the 
slaves  that  fled  to  his  tent  for  refuge.  "  This  morning,  when 
I  got  up,  my  servant  told  me  that,  on  coming  early,  before  I 
was  awake,  he  found  a  female  slave  sleeping  very  quietly  in 
the  corner  of  my  hut.  She  had  crept  in  during  the  night, 
and  one  must  hope  she  had  a  good  night's  rest.  She  was 
chained,  and  had  escaped  from  her  master." 

General  Gordon  was  often  imposed  upon.  Every  one 
who  knew  much  of  him  at  Gravesend  says  that  people  took 
advantage  of  his  kindness,  as  unprincipled  people  will  often 
do  if  there  be  a  chance.  And  no  doubt  the  same  thing 
occurred  both  in  China  and  in  the  Soudan.  Now  and  then, 
indeed,  it  seemed  that  this  conduct  was  by  no  means  con- 
fined to  the  poor,  and  those  who  had  not  received  the 
benefit  of  education  and  .refining  influences ;  for  it  has 
seemed  that  kings  used  him  for  their  own  purposes  onl}', 
and  rulers  took  advantage  of  his  generous  good  nature  and 
able  service.  But  these  things,  if  they  grieved  him,  did  not 
cause  any  change  in  his  spirit  and  conduct.  His  motives 
lay  so  deeply  within  his  soul,  that  neither  man's  praise  nor 
man's  ingratitude  affected  him  very  deeply.  "  The  more  one 
lives,"  he  wrote,  "  the  more  one  learns  to  act  towards  people 
as  if  they  were  inanimate  objects,  namely,  to  do  what  you 
can  for  them,  and  to  utterly  disregard  whether  they  are  grate- 
ful or  not.  This  is  what  God  does  to  us.  He  lets  His  rain 
fall  on  the  just  and  the  unjust.  He  never  gets  grati- 
tude, and  is  furthermore  totally  ignored  in  the  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances of  life." 


374  GENERAL    GORDON. 

But   more   than   anything   else   that   has   made    General 
Gordon  what  he  is,  is  the 

Godliness 

which  is  his  chief  characteristic.  He  is  another  illustration 
of  the  fact  that  the  Christian  is  the  highest  style  of  man. 
Let  those  who  wish  to  imitate  him  try  rather,  as  he  has 
always  done,  to  imitate  Christ,  and  be  willing  to  take  up  the 
cross  and  follow  Him.  It  is  only  so  that  the  greatest  work 
can  be  accomplished,  the  noblest  life  lived.  It  is  so  that  the 
spirit  can  be  kept  tranquil  and  steadfast  amid  all  the  changes 
of  life.  It  is  so  that  the  young  can  learn  the  beautiful  lessons 
of  obedience  and  humility,  of  loyalty  to  God,  and  devotion 
to  others  for  His  sake,  that  the  life  of  General  Gordon  so 
well  illustrates.  "Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of 
me."  This  is  the  invitation  of  Jesus ;  and  the  sincere  and 
earnest  reponse  to  it  has  been  the  starting-point  of  every 
Christian  Hero. 


375 

FACSIMILE 

OF  A 

LETTER  WRITTEN   BY   GENER.\L   GORDON. 

22D  June,  1S84.  Received  23D  August, 

Translation. 

(FIRST  SIDE.) 

A   -  ^         t/Mj   ^  Mudir  of  Dongola, 
''W^^l^          r'j  Khartoum  and  Sennaar  in  perfect 

^7^^    4*    */   '  ^  security  and  Mahomed  Ahmed  car- 

/  "^  —««*'  j.jgg   (-j^jg  (-Q  gjyg  yQ^   news  and  on 

/     J     'C^^jr*^*' U^J//  his  reaching  you  give   him   all   the 

'^  -^^.H/     e  news    as    to   the   direction    and   po- 

'*^^Jl^  sition    of    the    relieving    force    and 

I  "^^^  ^rn^g  their  number  and  as  for  Khartoum 

"  \*^J^   /'<-  there  are  in  it 


(SECOND    SIDE.) 

8000  men  and  the  Nile    is    rapidly 

rising  on  the   arrival  of  the  bearer 

give   him    100  reals   Megidich  from 

the  State. 

C.  G.  Gordon. 

1 301  Shaban  28th. 


The  official  stamp  in  indigo  is  too  indistinct  to  decipher  the 
characters  on  it. 

The  Idler  was  folded  and  placed  in  a  quill,  and  hidden 
in  the  hair  of  the  messenger. 


'Remember  Jacob  Abbott's  sensible  rule  to  give  children  something  that 

they  are  growing  up  to,  not  away  from,  and  keep  down  the 

stock  of  children's  books  to  the  very  best." 


CLASSIC   JUVENILES 


BY    JACOB    ABBOTT, 

'The  Prince  of  Writers  for  tlie  Young." 


"  Jacob  Abbott's  books  con-  %t 
tain  so  much  practical  wisdom 
concerning  the  every-day  life 
of  children,  and  so  many  les- 
sons in  honor,  truthfulness, 
and  courtesy,  that  they  should 
not  be  left  out  of  the  libraries 
of   boys   and  girls."  —  From 

Books  for  the   Young,"  com- 
iled  by  C.  M.  Hewins,  Libra- 
inn  of  the  Hartford  Library 
Association. 


ABBOTT'S    AMERICAN    HISTORIES    FOR 

Illustrated  by  Darley,  Herrick,  Chapiu,  aud  others. 


YOUTH.      8  vols. 
12mo $10.00 


I.  Aboriginal  America. 
II.  Discovery  of  America. 

III.  The  Southern  Colonies. 

IV.  The  Northern  Colonies. 

THE   ROLI.O   BOOKS.     14  vols. 

RoUo  Learning  to  Talk. 
Rollo  Learning  to  Read. 
Rollo  at  Work. 
Rollo  at  Play. 
Rollo  at  School. 
RoUo's  Vacation. 
RoUo's  Experiments. 


V.  Wars  of  the  Colonies. 
VI.  The  Revolt  of  the  Colonies. 
VII.  The  War  of  the  Revolution. 
VIII.  George  Washington. 


Illustrated.    IGmo 14.00 

Rollo's  Museum. 
RoUo's  Travels. 
Rollo's  Correspondence. 
Rollo's  Philosophy  —  Water. 
Rollo's  Philosophy  —  Air. 
Rollo's  Philosophy  ^  Fire. 
Rollo's  Philosophy —  Sky. 

Illustrated.    16mo COO 

Jonas's  Stories. 

Jonas  on  a  Farm  in  Summer. 

Jonas  on  a  Farm  in  Winter. 


THE  JONAS   BOOKS.    6  vols. 
Jonas  a  Judge. 
Caleb  in  Town. 
Caleb  in  the  Country. 

THE   LUCY   BOOKS.    « vols. 

Lucy  Among  the  Mouniains. 
Lucy's  Conversations. 
Lucy  on  the  Sea  Shore. 

AUGUST  STORIES.    4  vols.    Illustrated.    ICmo 5.00 

I          Schooner  Mary  Ann. 
I          Granville  Valley. 
Illustrated.    IGmo 5.M 


Illustrated.    IGmo 6.0O 

Lucy  at  Study. 

Lucy  at  Play. 

Stories  Told  to  Cousin  Lucy. 


August  and  Elvie. 
Hunter  and  Tom. 


JUNO   STORIES.    4  vols. 
Hubert. 
Juno  and  Georgie. 


Juno  on  a  Journey. 
Mary  Osborae. 


THE   ONLY  COMPLETE  LINE   OF  POETS  PUBLISHED  W 

THIS   COUNTRY. 

CROV\^ELL'S 

RED    LINE    POETS. 


59  Volumes.    12mo.    Per  Volume,  $1.25. 


Gilt  Edges,  Red  Line  Borders,  Illustrated, 
J  AXD  Elegantly  Bound  in  new  and  beautiful  designs. 

The  New  Designs  for  the  covers  are  especially 
attractive  and  iu  keeping  with  the  superior  quality  of 
paper,  pressivork  and  binding,  which  combine  to  make 
this  series  so  justly  popular  mtli  the  trade  and  tlie 
general  public,  whose  demands  during  the  past  year 
have  severely  taxed  our  ability  to  supply  promptly. 

"We  would  call  special  attention  to  our  new  ALLI- 
GATOli  LEATHER  BINDINGS,  which  will  prove 
an  attractive  feature,  and  are  offered  at  very  low 
rates. 

The  following  now  comprise  the  list:  — 


♦Aurora  Leigh. 
•Browning  (Mrs.). 
•Browning  (Robert). 
♦Burns. 
•Byron. 

Campbell. 

Chaucer. 

Coleridge. 

Cook  (Eliza). 

COWPER. 

Crabbe. 

Dante. 

Dryden. 
*Eliot  (George). 
♦Favorite  Poems. 
•Faust  (Goethe's). 

Goethe's  Poems. 
•Goldsmith. 
•Hemans. 

Herbert. 


Hood. 

Iliad. 

Irish  Melodies. 
*Jean  Ingelow. 

Keats. 

*Lady  op  the  Lake. 
*Lalla  Rookh. 
•Lay  of  the  Last  Min- 
strel. 
•Lucile. 

Macaulay. 
•Marmion. 
•Meredith  (Owen). 
•Milton. 

MuLocK  (Miss). 
•Moore. 

Odyssey. 

OSSIAN. 

Pilgrim's  Progress. 
Poetry  of  Flowers. 


•POE  (Edga-k  a.). 

Pope. 
•Procter. 

•Red  Letter  Poems. 
•Rossetti  (Dante  Q.). 

Sacred  Poems. 
•Schiller. 
•Scott. 

•Shakespeare. 
•Shelley. 

Shipton  (Anna). 

Spenser. 

Surf  and  Wave. 
•swinburnte. 
•Tennyson. 

Thomson. 

Tupper. 

Virgil. 

"White  (Kirxe). 
•Wordsworth. 


The  above  are  also  furnished  with  Plain  Edges,  not  Illustrated,  at  Sl.w 
per  volume. 

Those  marked  with  an  asterisk  (»)  f  urmafied  in  Alligato»-Leatheb,  at  SS.CK 
per  volume.  /\  ^^    C^^^^^    ^. 

For  Sale  h^Ja  Boolcmleri.     ' 

Thomas  Y.  Crowell  &  Co.,  13  Astor  Place,  N.  Y. 


^OfCAlIFO/?/];^^      ^OFCAllFOff^ 


^^WEUNIVERSy^      ^>:IU:)ANI 


<fil30NV  SOl^        %a3All 


so 


^^ IAS: 

oe  .11111    M  Tv  >  P= 


%130NVS01^ 


v^lUliANGElfj'^ 
o 


O         tx. 


"^/SaSAINflJWV 


^sSUIBKARYQ^ 


^WEUNIVERS'/4 


vvlOSANCElfx. 


^mhrn^"^ 


■OS 


;AcOfCALIF0ff/i5^ 


^<?AijvaaiiVc^ 


^, 


00 
J* 


^IIIBRARYO/         ^x\lLIBRARY6k 


^WEUNIVER5"/A 


^^n^lTVT^O^       ^<yOJIW3JO^         %130NVS01^ 


^lOSAN 


55 
:o 

L  ^ 


oe 


^OfCAilfOfr/ll^       ^OhtAllFOI?^ 


.^WE•UNIVER5•/A 


^lOSAN 
o 


■< 


so 


g 


<rii30NVS01^ 


^lOSANCElFx^ 


3 
"^ajAINdlWV^ 


^HIBRARYQ^         ^^IIIBR, 


i? 


^itfojnvjjo^     ^<!/ojn^ 


UUJI|T«V.dV 


4VJ  11**/   J^ 


^OFCAIIFO/?/^^      ^OFCAIIFO/?^ 


I?  ^ 


x;^ 


L  005  276  840  5 


i  ^-75  b  \  i  "s 


«ii  *  "  'Nk^  =o 


1^ 


^0A«vii8n-#      >0A«vjiaii#        <rii]ONvso^>^      "^/saBAiNfi^wv 


•^ 


\'rttUNIVtR%. 


^IJONVSOl^"^ 


j^lUVANLtl^Xo. 


'^/Sa3AINn3WV 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA    000  673  599 


^WEUNIVER% 


I 


.^lOSANCElf/A. 

o 


^5il3AINa-lWV 


^ 


^OFfAtlFO/?^ 

cc  ft.  /^-»  A  o      =«= 


,<OFCAIIFO% 


^UIBRARYO^ 


<^lLIBRARYQc^ 


^. 


%jnvD-jo'^     '^<!/ojnvD-jo't^ 


AWEUNIVERJ/a: 


^^lOSAfJCElfj^ 

to 


"^/iiijAiNn-jvv^^ 


-i.OFCAllFO%       aOfCAIIF0%  .^WEUNIVER^       ^v^S  AVCElfX^ 


'^<?A«v{ian-^'^     "'^(^Aavaan-^^"^        <riU3NYsoi=^      ■^/sa^AiNn-jwv' 


^WE•UNIVERy/A        ^lOSANCElfj-;^ 


^nvmm^     "^/^a^AiNiiaw^^ 


^l-lIBRARYO^       >^lllBRARYQc 


^<!/0JnV3JO^ 


%0JI1VDJ0^ 


